


Come What May

by cuddlyreyes



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe- Moulin Rouge, F/F, SO MUCH FLUFF, This Au is so much angst, This au hurt me so much, a lil bit of smut, also theres singing, its a musical fanfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-06
Updated: 2017-05-11
Packaged: 2018-10-28 16:06:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 27,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10834662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cuddlyreyes/pseuds/cuddlyreyes
Summary: Lena Luthor, a young wannabe Bohemian poet living in 1899 Paris, defies her mother by joining the colorfully diverse clique inhabiting the dark, fantastical underworld of Paris’ now legendary Moulin Rouge.In this haven of sex, drugs and newly-discovered electricity, the poet-innocent finds herself plunged into a passionate but ultimately tragic love affair with Kara Zor-El, the club’s highest paid star and the city’s most famous courtesan.Also known as: The Supercorp Moulin Rouge AU





	1. The Sparkling Diamond

**Author's Note:**

> HELLO!
> 
> Welcome to the trashbin, where I live
> 
> Thanks for giving this little idea a chance. I watched Moulin Rouge the other day and I couldn't stop picturing Kara as a beautiful Parisian courtesan and then this monster happened.
> 
> Feedback is appreciated and LA VIE BOHEME!

**PARIS, 1900**

_There was a girl…. A very strange enchanted girl… They say she wandered very far, very far, over land and sea… A little shy, and sad of eye, but very wise was she._

_But then one day, a magic day, she passed my way, and while we spoke of many things… Of Fools and Kings… This she said to me…_

_The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return._

* * *

 

“The Moulin Rouge…” Lena mumbled, fingers fluttering over the keys of the ancient typewriter. She spoke aloud, as if reciting as she typed would keep the demons that haunted her silent flat at bay.

“A nightclub, a dance hall, and a bordello, ruled over by the inimitable Cat Grant. A kingdom of night time pleasures where the rich played with the beautiful creatures of the underworld.” Lena swallowed hard, wiping at her eyes before her fingers continued with the rhythmic click-clack of typewriter keys.

“The most beautiful of all was the woman I loved.” Her voice cracked, emerald eyes shimmering with tears she refused to let fall. She had already cried so much, yet it seemed the river of her pain would never end. _“Kara.”_

“A courtesan, she sold her love to men. They called her ‘ _The Sparkling Diamond_ ’, and she was the star of the Moulin Rouge.” Lena clenched her jaw, the hot tears beginning to trail down her pale cheeks, dripping off her jaw and staining the scrapped pages scattered about.

“The woman I loved is _dead_.”

The typewriter dinged and Lena reached robotically to push it back to start a new line. She continued typing, her words spilling out to match the ink that quickly dried on the page.

“I first came to Paris one year ago…”

* * *

 

**PARIS, 1899**

Lena Luthor, a young writer from England, stepped off the train into the grand Paris station, lugging along a case with a second hand typewriter. Her eyes lit up at the mismatched sea of people traversing the platforms. Well dressed people of the upper class, mingling with the colorful artists and bohemians. Lena felt at home already.

She rode a taxi carriage to her small flat in the center of the Bohemian Revolution in the village of Montmartre near Paris proper.  There was a small bed against one wall, a desk against the other, and her windows had a perfect view of the alluring red windmills of the hauntingly mysterious Moulin Rouge. Of course she had heard stories of the Church of Sin that attracted wealthy and poor alike, stories of the beautiful women who danced and sold a night’s worth of love to anyone who could pay… But never did she expect to one day sell her heart and soul to the crown jewel of the devil’s dance hall.

She had left her family’s fortune behind to lead a penniless existence as a writer. She joined flocks of musicians, painters and writers, joined the Children of the Revolution as they were called.

Lena ignored her mother’s warnings of a life of sin and debauchery. She wanted to paint pages with words of truth, beauty and above all things… Above all things she wanted to write of love. Above all things she believed in love.

_“Always this ridiculous obsession with love!”_

Lena shut her eyes against the unwelcome phantom of her mother shouting in her ear, electing instead to set her typewriter upon the ancient looking desk. She opened the case, cradling the machine like a child and delicately placing it upon the wood. Her case of belongings and clothes laid unopened beside the lumpy looking mattress but her fingers were already itching to dance across the noisy keys of her typewriter.

She sat down, taking her long raven locks out of the tight bun she’d had them in to travel, and loaded the paper. She ached to write of love, of the indescribable feelings it brought and the incredible passion shared between two people. There was only one problem.

She’d never been in love.

Just then, an unconscious black man fell through her roof.

Her door swung open to reveal a small man dressed as a nun, and a woman with cropped brown hair dressed in a man’s suit designed to hide her feminine physique.

“How do you do?” The man asked, pushing his way into the apartment to greet Lena whilst his friend moved over to quickly free the unconscious man from the rope attached to his ankle that kept him dangling above Lena’s floor. “I am Winslow Schott Jr. but you can call me Winn,” he greeted, his hand extending towards Lena.

Lena, still in a state of shock reached out to shake his hand as he continued speaking. “Those are my colleagues, Alexandra Marie Danvers,” he introduced.

The woman he gestured to pushed up the brim of her hat to greet Lena. “Alex.”

Lena gave her a polite nod and a small nervous smile before Winn just continued on with the introductions. “And our sleepy friend is James Olsen, poor boy suffers from narcolepsy.” Winn chuckled and Alex, in a surprising show of strength, hauled the man over her shoulder and moved to carry him out of Lena’s apartment and back up to the room above. “Perfectly fine one moment and unconscious the next!” He laughed heartily.

“I’m Lena Luthor--” Lena was cut off by Winn just plowed on enthusiastically, gesticulating to the hole in the ceiling and the apartment above.

“We’re rehearsing a play! _Spectacular, Spectacular_ …” He waved his hands excitedly. “It’s set in Switzerland!”

Before he could continue on or Lena could get a word in, five new heads in addition to Alex, looked down from hole looking into the upstairs flat.

“Winn!” A woman with hair so silver it was nearly blue called, “James is unconscious! Now the play will not be ready for the financier tomorrow!”

“Leslie, dear--” Winn was cut off by a caramel skinned woman with an adorable dimpled grin.

“And Alex and I have to finish the music!” She said. Alex gave a loving smile to the woman and leaned over to press a kiss to her cheek.

Lena’s head was spinning as another brunette spoke up. “Not to mention the better Lane sister has to finish the costumes!”

A redhead who bore a distinct resemblance to the brunette spoke up quickly, landing a sharp jab to her side, “Shut it, Lucy!”

The one man in the circle above them wrapped an arm around the redhead, pulling her into his side. He looked down at Winn with icy blue eyes and cleared his throat to speak. “And Lois and I have to finish the set pieces, Winn.”

“Someone else can read the part!” Winn shouted up to them, hoping it would placate the patchwork band of bohemians.

The one Lena noted was called Leslie spoke up again. “Where on earth are we going to find someone to read the part of the charming, sensitive, swiss poet goatherd?” She snapped.

Six pairs of eyes snapped to Lena who was still standing by her typewriter, trying to recover from the whirlwind that had crashed into her apartment. Winn gave her a mischievous grin and grabbed her hand, dragging her into the flat above.

In the blink of an eye, Lena was standing on a ladder, filling in for the unconscious James Olsen.

Lena looked over the jumble of papers in her hand, trying to decipher the sorry excuse for a script. Alex and Maggie churned out an avant garde melody on something that resembled a piano, Leslie trying to sing over them.

“ _The hills animate with the euphonious symphonies of descant!”_ she called before throwing her pen at the pair.

“Would you stop that insufferable droning!? It’s drowning out my words!” she huffed and closed her eyes for a moment before adopting a faux sweetness to her voice. “Perhaps stick to some _decorative_ piano?” She asked.

Maggie and Alex shared a look before the latter turned to Leslie. “Your words are drowning out our innovative music!” Alex said. Maggie nodded and quickly backed her lover up. “Perhaps a more refined ear is needed to appreciate it.”

The trio dissolved into squabbling and Lena watched on. Lucy was placing a few pins into Winn’s nun costume. “A nun wouldn’t say that about a hill.” She pointed out.

Winn’s face twisted into one of deep thought, “How about, _‘The hills are vital intoning the descant’_?” He mused.

Clark and Lois were busy painting a swiss countryside and the older Lane sister joined the conversation. “ _The hills quake and shake…_ ” Clark laughed, listening to his lover churn out possible verses.

James sat up suddenly, shouting above the group. “ _The hills are incarnate with symphonic melodies!”_ His voice drifted off as he slumped back on the bed, continuing his bout of unconsciousness.

Lena looked at the papers, an idea beginning to form in her head. “The hills…” She tried to speak over the group whose yelling was only growing in volume. “The hills…!” she tried again, taking a deep breath. Leslie began a proper screaming match with Alex and Maggie and Winn, Clark and the Lane girls were all giggling at their own ridiculous versions.

Lena took a deep breath before singing as loud as she could. _“The hills are alive with the sound of music!”_ The whole group silenced, all staring up at Lena on the ladder in awe.

Maggie was the first one to break the silence, nudging Alex before the pair tapped out a basic melody on the piano keys.

Winn grinned, rubbing his chin in thought. “ _‘The hills are alive with the sound of music’_... I love it!”

Alex nodded, reciting the words again. “It fits perfectly!” she declared.

Lena, filled with a renewed confidence continued singing, waving her arm dramatically. _“With songs they have sung for a thousand years!”_ She sang.

The whole group, save Leslie burst into applause. Even James had woken up to join in the discussion.

“Incandiferous!” He declared, clapping his hands harder as he stood. Winn did a small dance in place, looking from Lena to Leslie and back to Lena once more.

“You two should write the play together!”

Leslie looked at him as though he had three heads. “What?”

Winn’s suggestion is not what Leslie wanted to hear. The next thing they knew, the door to the apartment was slamming shut, an echo of Leslie shouting goodbye ringing through the room.

The group immediately swarmed Lena, pouring her drinks and welcoming her to their group and to Paris and above all, to the bohemian revolution. There was yet another whirlwind discussion about how they would sell their Bohemian masterpiece of Ms. Grant of the Moulin Rouge. But it seemed Alex had a plan.

She moved over and slapped Clark on his broad chest. “Kara.” She said.

“Kara…” They all echoed, awe and reverence in their voices as if speaking of a deity.

“Kara?” Lena echoed, a brow cocked in curiosity. Lucy chuckled and clapped Lena on the shoulder, downing another shot before speaking.

“Kara is the crown jewel in Cat Grant’s crown. She is our ticket to the heart of the Moulin Rouge.”

Winn held up a bottle, everyone else following suit and holding up their glasses. Lena clumsily followed example.

“La vie Boheme!” He shouted, the whole group echoing before taking a shot.

Lena felt her head spin and her heart pump. She felt alive.

The group dressed Lena in a fine suit, discussing their plan as they sauntered in with the massive crowds that flooded into the Moulin Rouge.

They would pass Lena off as a famous English writer, and once Kara heard a few lines of her best poetry she would be amazed and insist to Cat Grant that Lena Luthor would write _Spectacular, Spectacular!_

The only issue was, Lena kept hearing her mother’s scathing voice in her ear.

_“You’ll end up wasting your life at the Moulin Rouge with a can-can dancer!”_

Lena’s eyes widened and she stopped in the middle of the street, halting the whole group’s progress. “I can’t write the show!”

All six bohemians stared at her and asked the same question. “Why not?!”

“I’m not sure I really am a true bohemian revolutionary!” She squeaked out, emerald eyes wide with an anxious look of a cornered animal. Lucy grabbed her arm, hauling her and the rest of the group into an alley outside the entrance of the Moulin Rouge.

“Do you believe in beauty?” Lucy asked.

“Yes.”

“Freedom?” James asked with a dramatic hand gesture.

“Yes.”

“Truth?!” Winn demanded.

“Yes!”

“Love?” Lois and Clark asked at the same time, sharing a small look between them.

Lena froze. Love… _Love…_

“I… Above all things I believe in love. Love is like oxygen!” she declared, growing more brave and looking around their group of misfits. “Love is everything! Love is the reason we are alive, all you need is love!”

Winn laughed excitedly, gripping her shoulders. “You can’t fool us, Luthor! You’re the voice of the bohemian revolution!” The group cheered and James pulled a flask from his jacket.

Lena would taste her first sip of absinthe.

The rush that came with the alcohol felt like the world’s first dose of artificial confidence, the true definition of liquid courage. Once the group each had their share of the stuff, they continued their march towards the scarlet windmill of the Moulin Rouge. They had the perfect plan, the perfect show and now they just needed to find the perfect moment.

The inside of the infamous dance hall was a world unlike anything Lena could have ever imagined. Cat Grant called her girls her Diamond Dogs, men and women alike came from far and wide for the chance to pay for the pleasure of a night with them. The pleasure found inside the Moulin Rouge was unparalleled and Cat Grant knew exactly that.

Lena and the group moved through the crowds, watching in awe at the sea of girls dancing around men and women parading in their best suits and dresses, flashing money, gold, watches and diamonds to hopefully be pulled into the clutches of an illustrious Diamond Dog. Cat Grant herself stood atop a pedestal with the band, shouting and jeering to wind up the masses and encourage copious amounts of money be handed off to her very hard working girls. She was nothing if not an excellent saleswoman.

“Which one is Kara?” Lena asked Lucy, shouting over the booming music and the enthusiastic singing and shouting of the patrons. Lucy just laughed and handed Lena another shot.

“You’ll know her when you see her!” She swore.

Lena just hoped she would survive their meeting…

But she was not the only one who was arranged to meet Kara that night. Cat Grant’s investor, the Duke Mon-El.

The room fell silent, the band cutting off and all eyes turning towards the ceiling. Silver confetti fell like raining diamonds as she lowered on the swing. Kara Zor-El, the Sparkling Diamond of the Moulin Rouge.

_“The French… Are glad to die… for love…”_ she sang, every pair of eyes in the whole of the dance hall on her.

Lena felt her mouth go dry in an instant, Kara Zor-El was a vision.

_“They delight in fighting duels.”_

Hair that looked like golden silk flowing down over shoulders made of perfect marble. Her eyes were diamonds, sparkling as they scanned the crowd and her voice…

_“But I prefer a man who lives and gives expensive jewels.”_

Her voice was the sweetest silk with a seductive drawl that could make even the dirtiest of whores blush. She began to swing over the crowd, dangling herself above drawls of men and women like a steak to a starving dog.

Cheers and pleas for attention echoed and overlapped and Kara simply gave a girlish giggle as she reached the floor in a circle of eager admirers.

_“A kiss on the hand may be quite continental…”_ she drawled, hips shaking seductively as she moved. _“But diamonds are a girl’s best friend.”_ She accepted an offered diamond bracelet from an older gentleman in the crowd, purring like a happy kitten as she clipped it around her wrist and sent a wink to the giver.

Kara played the crowd like a fiddle, accepting handfuls of money and expensive gifts as she passed, returning each offering with a sweet little giggle or an extra shake of her hips. Her voice carried like a siren song, drawing every onlooker forward in a desperate attempt for just a brush of the fingers against her perfectly smooth skin.

Cat Grant elegantly sat herself down at the table across from the Duke. His eyes were following Kara through her number like a predator stalking its prey. “When am I going to meet the girl?” Mon-El demanded, sparing the woman across the table from him a passing glance before he zeroed in on Kara once more.

“After her number. I’ve arranged a private meeting for you and her. Totally alone.” Cat assured. She wasn’t happy about handing over her favorite girl to such a man, but his benefact would be needed if they were to convert the Moulin Rouge into a proper theater.

Mon-El’s smirk held something truly sinister and he tipped his hat up, licking his lips as he watched Kara shake her hips for a group of men tucking wads of money into the straps of her sparkly costume. “Excellent.”

_“Square cut or pear shape, these rocks don’t lose their shape! Diamonds are a girl’s best friend!”_ Kara continued.

Winn slid into the seat beside Lena, wrapping an arm around her neck and yanking her down so he could speak in her ear over the booming band and Kara’s alluring siren song.

“I’ve arranged a meeting for you and Mademoiselle Kara! Totally alone!” He grinned, pulling back to waggle his eyebrows suggestively. Lena felt heat blooming over her cheeks, turning the tips of her ears red.

“A-Alone?”

“Yes! Totally alone!”

_“Come and get me boys!”_

Kara let out a sinful giggle as a group of men carried her to the stage at one end of the dancehall. She continued her song, collecting gifts from her throngs of suitors as Cat excused herself from Mon-El and rushed to the stage to play her part in the performance. Another group of men carried her forward and she laughed delightedly, taking Kara’s hand and showing her off like a prized show pony.

Lena stood up, seemingly hypnotized by Kara’s alluring song. Winn laughed as the rest of the group pulled Lena back into her seat.

“Slow down, tiger! There will be plenty of time for that later!” He flung his arms out, striking a passing waiter’s tray and knocking the drinks right onto Mon-El’s lap. Winn gasped in horror, quickly grabbing a napkin and starting to dab the man down.

Kara spun around the stage, spinning into Cat’s arms and giving her hips a little shake. “Is the Duke here?” She asked, eyes scanning the crowd eagerly.

Cat laughed, grabbing a few gifts the men were holding to the stage. “Kitten, when have I ever let you down?” She cooed, pinching Kara’s cheek as she passed by and Kara spun around to entertain another pack of onlookers.

“Where are they?” Kara asked, an excited glint in her eyes as she accepted another diamond necklace from an outstretched hand.

Cat’s eyes quickly scanned back to the tables and she gasped, seeing Winn nearly assaulting her investor. “They’re the one Winn is shaking a hanky at! I pray the hobbit doesn’t scare all the money away.” she growled.

Winn turned around to Lena. “Lena? Do you mind?” He chuckled, grabbing her pocket square and shaking it out in front of her just as Kara turned and squinted into the crowd, icy eyes zeroing in on Winn shaking the hanky out in front of Lena. Kara’s breath caught. She wasn’t expecting someone so beautiful.

The can can dancers rose on the stage, skirts coming up to allow room for Kara and Cat to have a fast costume change.

“Will they invest?!” Kara asked, yanking off her top hat and shaking out golden curls. Kat helped her out of her costume as they spoke.

“Kitten, after a night with you, how could anyone refuse?” She chuckled, securing the diamond necklace around her neck before helping her into her next outfit.

“What’s their type?” Kara asked, tugging the baby pink corset into place before pulling on the frilly feathered accessories that lined the outfit and acted as a faux skirt around her long legs. “Wilting flower?” she asked, placing a hand over her chest and batting her lashes innocently.

Cat just shook her head.

“Bright and bubbly?” Kara giggled and gave her hips a little shake.

Cat looked thoughtful but once again responded with a shake of her head.

“Or smoldering temptress?” Kara asked, running her hands down her body before letting out a seductive purr and snapping her teeth.

Cat grinned wickedly. “Oh yes, smoldering temptress.” She decided, buckling Kara into the decorative belt that hung low on her hips. “We’re all relying on you, Kitten.”

She reached up to help smooth out Kara’s hair, righting the curls that had gone wild. “Remember, a real show in a real theater with a real audience!” She gushed.

Kara just grinned, looking at Cat with a dreamy look in her eyes. “And I’ll be a real actress…” Kara’s eyes were far off for a moment before she heard her musical cue and shot Cat a grin.

The wall of skirts disappeared and Kara jumped up, continuing her song. Some of the dancers lifted her again and she glided over the floor, belting out the final notes of her song as they guided her right to Lena.

_“Diamonds…. Are a… Girl’s… Best… Friend!”_

The blonde landed right in front of Lena, a coy smile on her lips as she leaned down to whisper right in her ear.

“I believe you’ve been expecting me.”

“I… Y-Yes…” Lena gasped. Winn grinned and leaned forward.

“I see you’ve met my English friend!” He beamed. Kara gently nudged him away.

“I’ll handle it, Winn.” She gave her best winning smile to Lena before turning back to the crowd. “I’m afraid it’s ladies choice!” she called.

A chorus of disappointed ‘aw’s’ echoed through the room. Kara responded with an impish giggle and turned to grab Lena’s hand.

The brunette was hauled out of her seat, only barely registering the group yelling behind her. “Remember! Your most modern poetry!”

Lena was overwhelmed as she was dragged onto the dancefloor, wealthy men and women twirling about with the Diamond Dogs while Lena was struggling not to trip over her own feet.

She adjusted the top hat, borrowed from Alex, atop her head before she was pushed forward. She clumsily attempted to follow the blonde’s dance moves but found every step she took only made the blush rise higher on her cheeks.

Kara slipped closer, hands roaming down Lena’s body as she leaned in to speak over the music. “How kind of you to take an interest in our little show…”

Lena just flushed, her hands automatically flying to Kara’s hips to steady herself as well as fulfill her near desperate need to feel Kara’s smooth skin beneath her palms. “It sounds very exciting! I’m delighted to be involved.” She said, blushing as they spun across the floor. “That is, assuming you like what I do of course…”

“I’m sure I will!” Kara giggled flirtatiously, spinning in Lena’s grasp to grind her ass against the other woman’s hips. She was delighted in the shocked little gasp she heard. She could see her name in lights already.

“W-Winn thought we may be able to…” Lena gasped again as Kara turned once more and pressed herself firmly against her, front to front. “Do it in private!” she squeaked out.

Kara giggled, eyes shining with pure lust. “Did he?” Kara purred, her hand drifting down to brush over Lena’s inner thigh.

“Y-yes!” She gasped, her legs automatically spreading some. Kara’s hand was completely hypnotizing and Lena had a hard time forcing out her words. “A private…” Kara’s hands brushed her center and she squeaked. “Poetry reading!”

Kara’s laugh was husky against her ear, “Oh I do love a little _poetry_ after supper.” she purred, leaving a small kiss right below Lena’s jaw, making the other woman shudder. The music was coming to its climax and Kara grinned, pulling back to dance. “Hold onto your hat!” She yelled. All the dancers kicked, the air becoming filled with the hats of different men and women across the dance hall.

Lena could only watch in awe as Kara sauntered back into the crowd, sitting back on her swing and continuing to belt her song.

_“Square cut or pear shaped… These rocks won’t lose their shape…”_ She sang, every eye in the place rising to follow her ascension back towards the ceiling. _“Diamonds…. Are a… Girl’s…. Best…”_

Kara suddenly gasped, choking on the last note. Her hands gripped the ropes of her perch, the whole room silent as they waited for her voice once more.

Cat immediately saw what was happening and she shoved her second in command, J’onn, forward just as Kara tipped backwards, plummeting towards the floor. The crowd gasped and screamed. “No!”

J’onn caught her easily, hoisting the blonde into his arms and quickly rushing towards the backstage area to where a doctor was waiting. Cat watched on, worried for her girl but she knew the show must go on. She raised her hands, letting out a fake sad noise.

“Oh! You’ve all scared her away!” She said, the crowd all whined in disappointment. “But…” Cat continued. “I do see many lonely Moulin Rouge dancers! Grab a partner and let the night go on!” she shouted.

Mon-El turned to his manservant, Maxwell, “Find Ms. Grant. I have an appointment with the girl.” He smirked wickedly, standing to go after his promised prize.

Lena was yanked off the dancefloor by Winn and the rest of their group, the pack dragging her up to Kara’s apartment in the large elephant sculpture outside the main Moulin Rouge hall. Winn opened the door and quickly shoved Lena inside.

“Good luck!” he cheered before closing the door in her face.

The band played up again as J’onn laid Kara down on a couch, opening smelling salts under her nose. The blonde gasped, back arching up as she coughed harshly, blood staining the tissue held in front of her lips. Air flowed back into her lungs and J’onn visibly relaxed, smoothing her hair out of her face.

“Are you alright, little one?” The man asked, laying his large hand over Kara’s forehead. She reached up to take it, forcing a smile and a half wheezed chuckle.

“Oh yes, J’onn… Nothing to worry about, these silly costumes… Just a fainting spell.” she assured, forcing herself to sit up and cough a few more times to clear her airways. “Good as new…”

“Kara.” J’onn warned, worried for the girl. She just waved him off with a small smile, slowly getting back to her feet.

“I’m fine, I’m fine… I have a meeting tonight that I simply cannot miss.”

“Your health comes before the money, Kara.” He reminded her, a phrase he had uttered at least a thousand times over the past few months alone.

She walked to her vanity, starting to clean off her stage makeup to prepare herself for her appointment that evening. J’onn moved behind her, helping her unlace the tight corset and take off her many accessories. She thanked him with a squeeze of his bicep as she stepped behind a room divider to get dressed.

“You’ve done well, Kara.” J’onn praised, keeping his back politely turned as she changed. Kara smiled fondly, he and Cat had been like parents to her ever since they found a scrawny orphan begging outside the Moulin Rouge 13 years ago.

“I’ve done my best… Hopefully after tonight we’ll have the money for a real theater.” She said, tying her hair up in a loose bun as she tried on different lingerie combinations to find the perfect one.

“You’re going to light up the stages of Europe, Kara. I know it.” He assured, smiling to himself. He always had a soft spot for the blonde. He cared for all the girls, but Kara was special.

“Do you really think so, J’onn?” she asked, stepping out wrapped in a black silk robe. “Just imagine… Me… A real actress!” She grinned, starting on her makeup in the mirror.

J’onn moved behind her and laid a large hand on her shoulder, giving a squeeze before dropping a kiss to the top of her head. “You’ll blow us all away.” He assured.

Kara beamed at him in the mirror, sitting up taller. “Now or never. I’m going to get us that theater.” She stood up, spinning around to head to her apartment. “Wish me luck!” She called behind her.

J’onn smiled fondly. That girl was a hurricane in human form. He hoped whatever poor sap Cat had roped into investing could handle her.


	2. How Wonderful Life Is...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena endures a case of mistaken identity, Kara sings a siren song and Mon-El gets more bohemians than he bargained for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CH-CH-CH-CHAPTER TWOOO!!!!
> 
> welcome welcome welcome, anywho,,,, lena is a gay mess and mon-el is a dick so theres nothing new here
> 
> without further ado,,,  
> *drum roll*

“This is a wonderful place for a poetry reading don’t you think?” Kara’s voice was a slow purr, her back to Lena who was standing awkwardly by the window, fiddling with the brim of her top hat.

“ _ Poetic _ enough for you?” Kara drawled, looking over her shoulder at the woman. Lena tugged her collar away from her throat some, swallowing harshly. She felt like she was about to be tossed in the cage with a hungry lioness. If she was being honest, she wasn’t all that upset about her impending doom.

“Perhaps some supper?” the blonde continued, holding up a bottle of expensive champagne to show Lena the golden label. The writer didn’t have the heart to tell her she had know idea the significance of the fancy golden letters. 

Lena cleared her throat, she sought out the sight of the moon, mentally praying for some sort of inspiration. “I, if it’s alright, I’d prefer to just get it over and done with.”

Kara, still with her back turned, was unfamiliar with being rebuffed like this. She took a deep breath and rolled her eyes before getting back into character and turning to Lena, “Very well.”

She untied her silky black robe to reveal a black corset, lace panties and a garter belt connected to sheer thigh high tights. Her smirk looked like a cat about to catch a canary and Lena felt her entire body heat up like she was held over a flame. Kara stalked over to the ridiculously plush bed, reclining back into the cushions and running a hand over the expensive fur beside her. 

“Why don’t you come down here and we’ll get it over and done with?” Kara purred, biting her lower lip and watching Lena through dark lashes that framed her starry blue eyes. Lena swallowed, loosening her tie to try and assist in getting air into her lungs. 

“I’d uh… I’d prefer to do it standing.” She said. Kara raised a brow, making a little surprised noise before moving to get up. Lena quickly held her hands out, stopping her. “You don’t have to stand! Sometimes it’s quite long and I want you to be comfortable.” Kara made a small inquisitive sound and Lena plowed on with her awkward explanation. “You see it’s quite modern, what I do… It may feel strange at first, but if you’re open you may enjoy it!” She chuckled nervously and ran a hand through her raven locks. 

Kara just put on the same seductive mask, eyes roaming over Lena. God this stumbling woman was adorable. “I’m sure I will…”

Meanwhile, Winn and the merry band of bohemians was scaling up the backside of the elephant, trying to get a vantage point to listen in on their newest member’s attempt at securing the opportunity to tell their incredible story and introduce their Bohemian ideals to the general public. 

“Lucy’s the smallest, let’s lower her down on the rope!” Winn said. Lucy raised a brow. 

“You want me to hang off the side of an elephant with nothing but you knuckleheads holding me?”

“Yes?”

Lucy shared a look with the rest of the group and a few moments later, Winn was slowly crawling his way down the head of the elephant in an effort to get a good view of the proceedings inside. 

Lena was still fidgeting, stammering over a few improvised lines of poetry and Kara watched on, hands roaming down her sides in an effort to draw the woman closer. 

“The… The sky!” Lena began, choking on her words when Kara let out a wanton moan, squirming on the bed. “T-The bluebirds…” Lena continued, her emerald eyes unable to help the paths they traced over Kara’s body. Kara let out a desperate whimper and Lena started coughing, choking on her own tongue.

“Is everything alright, darling?” The blonde asked, sitting up. Lena held her hat closer to her body, face redder than the enchanting color painted on Kara’s oh so kissable lips.

“Yes! I just…” Lena looked at her feet before daring to look at Kara once more. “It just, It takes some time for,” she cleared her throat. “Inspiration to strike.”

Kara looked completely understanding as she stood, quickly sauntering forward. “Oh you poor baby, let me help you with that,” Her hands unbuttoned Lena’s pants in a flurry of moment, yanking her shirt up to rake nails down her stomach. The writer let out a surprised moan, eyes screwing shut before Kara threw her down onto the bed.

Before Lena had a chance to right herself, she had a lap full of beautiful blonde courtesan who was leaving a trail of blazing bloody red kisses down her jaw. 

“Let’s make love,” She husked, hand shooting down into Lena’s pants, cupping her center through her panties. Lena let out a surprised gasp, back arching off the mattress.

“M-Make love?”

“You want to, don’t you? Tell the truth,” Kara purred, teeth dragging down the pale expanse of Lena’s throat. The brunette let out a choked moan, squirming some beneath her.

“O-Oh…”

“Can you feel the  _ poetry _ , darling?” She asked, hands moving up to grip the collar of Lena’s shirt, tearing down the middle and sending buttons flying. “Oooh, pretty girl.” Kara purred in that delightfully husky tone as she gazed at Lena’s chest.

Winn was watching the ordeal through the window and he turned his head, calling to his friends on the roof. “She’s got a  _ huge _ heart!”

Kara leaned down, sucking in a hickey right under Lena’s collarbone. “I need your  _ poetry _ right now! Give it to me!” she demanded seductively.

“All right!” Lena rolled Kara off of her and stood quickly, hastily shoving her shirt back into her pants and buttoning them up so she could cover herself. 

“It’s a little bit funny, this feeling inside!” She blurted, cheeks flushed and hands shaking. Kara sat up, watching her questioningly and trying to understand where this was going. Sex she could do, sex was her default. This was new territory.

“I’m not one of those who can easily hide.” She continued, running a hand through her beautifully tousled locks, pushing them out of her bright green eyes. Lena looked at Kara, radiating with self consciousness. “Is this okay? Is this what you want?”

“Oh,  _ poetry _ !” Kara gasped, a grin spreading onto her lips. She laid on the bed on her stomach, watching Lena with beautifully hooded eyes. “Yes, this is what I want, naughty words!” she encouraged.

“I don’t have much money,” Lena continued, voice wobbling as she watched Kara began to writhe on the bed, moaning and clutching at the furs. “B-But if I did, I’d buy a big house where we both could live…”

“Oh yes! Give me your naughty words!” Kara cried, hands roaming over her own body before she wrapped herself up in the blanket. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

“If I was a sculptor…. But then again no…” Lena said, blushing once more as she watched Kara and heard the erotic symphony of her moans. “O-Or a woman who made potions in a traveling show…”

“Yes! You devil!” Kara cried, back arching off the mattress to show off her beautiful curves. “Don’t stop!”

“I know it’s not much…”

Kara’s moans only grew in volume and Lena closed her eyes to focus on the words. 

“It’s the best I can do…”

“YES! Don’t stop! Give me your naughty words!”

Lena felt her heart jump into her throat. This woman was a goddess and Lena felt the new stirrings of a passion she could only hope was love. Her voice left her before she even realized she was singing, attempting to serenade the beautiful woman before her. She turned to the window, singing her devotion to the whole of Paris.

“ _ My gift is my song… _ ” She sang, Kara’s voice cut off immediately, eyes wide as they focused on Lena. Lena turned, taking a few steps towards the bed. “ _ And this one’s for you. _ ” 

She offered a hand to the blonde, watching the siren of a courtesan melt away into the beautiful Kara. She took Lena’s hand, slowly letting the writer pull her to her feet so her voice could properly wash over her. 

_ “I hope you don’t mind, that I put down in words, how wonderful life is now you’re in the world.”  _ Lena sang, delicately stepping away from the bed and drawing the woman closer to her. Gone was the charged sexual air in the room, replaced by the pure love Lena felt pouring out of her. This was the feeling she’d been chasing her whole life. She could breathe, she felt like she was seeing the world in color for the first time. She refused to let this feeling go.

“ _ So excuse me forgetting, but these things I do… _ ” Lena’s shy was adorably genuine and Kara felt a blush begin to creep up her cheeks. “ _ You see, I’ve forgotten if they’re green… Or if they’re blue. _ ” Lena’s hand came up, sweeping away a lock of golden hair out of Kara’s starlight eyes. The brunette smiled, her thumb tracing along her cheekbone. “Blue…” She whispered reverently before her song continued.

“ _ Anyway, the thing is, what I really mean… _ ” Lena stuttered, her grin growing as Kara giggled at her antics. “ _ Yours are the sweetest eyes that I’ve ever seen. _ ” Lena brought Kara close, dancing them across the apartment in a waltz. Her words echoed around the room, blanketing them both and wrapping them up in a cocoon of pure adoration and devotion. 

“ _ You can tell everybody that this is your song. It may be quite simple but now that it’s done… I hope you don’t mind that I put down in words, how wonderful life is…. _ ” Lena dipped Kara slowly, her emerald eyes sparkling with a promise of endless love. Their noses brushed and Lena saw the same sparkle answer back in the endless galaxies housed in Kara’s eyes. “ _ Now that you’re my entire world… _ ”

Lena’s voice trailed off, the symphony of their matching heartbeats filling up the comfortable silence between them. 

“Look’s like she got the job!” Winn called, still watching through the window.

Kara wrapped her arms around Lena’s shoulders, giggling adoringly. “I can’t believe it… I… I’m in love.” She beamed, an answering smile appearing on her new love’s face. “I’m in love, with a beautiful, young, talented  _ duchess _ !”

Lena giggled, their noses brushing as they held each other. “Duchess?” She asked.

Kara grinned, letting her eyes close in bliss for the moment. “Or do you prefer Duke? It’s very modern of you to ignore the gendered title… Not that the title matters.” she smiled, pressing a small kiss to the corner of her mouth.

“I’m not a duchess… Or a duke.”

“Not a duke?”

“I’m a writer.”

Kara’s eyes snapped open, a gasp of horror leaving her lips. “A  _ writer _ ?!”

“Yes, a writer…. Winn said--”

“ **_WINN_ ** ?!” Kara groaned, pulling away quickly and running her hands through her hair. “No! You’re not one of Winn’s talented, beautiful, impoverished, oh so bohemian proteges?”

“Well you might say that,” Lena smiled, focusing mainly on the part where Kara called her talented and beautiful.

“No!!” Kara squeaked, hands covering her eyes. “I’m going to kill him!”

Winn, outside the window gasped. “PULL ME UP! PULL ME UP! There may be a small hitch!”

Kara rushed to the door. “You need to leave before the Duke--” she cut herself off as she pulled it open, yelping when she saw Cat, J’onn, and Mon-El standing in front of the door. She quickly slammed it closed again, turning to Lena. “THE DUKE! HIDE! Out the back!” She ran towards her as the door opened again. Kara shoved Lena to her knees, holding out her black robe to shield her from view. 

Winn heard Kara’s exclamation and he scrambled towards the edge again. “LOWER ME DOWN! LOWER ME DOWN!”

“Kitten! Are you decent for the Duke?” Cat asked. Lena tried to peek around her legs but Kara bumped her back into hiding behind her as she slowly shuffled them towards the table with the food and champagne so Lena could properly hide. 

“Where were you?” J’onn asked, a tinge of worry in his voice after Kara’s earlier fainting spell. Kara’s hip hit the table and she finally lowered her robe from its spread position as she felt Lena crawl behind the table.

“I was, uh, I was waiting!” Kara said, cocking her hip out and forcing herself back into her smoldering temptress facade. 

Cat stepped forward again. “Dear Duke Mon-El, I introduce to you, Mademoiselle Kara.” She presented. The duke removed his hat, his smile curling up like a twisted Cheshire Cat as he stepped forward. Lena peeked over the table and Kara bumped it with her hip to make her duck back down. 

Mon-El took Kara’s hand, pressing an overly sloppy kiss to her knuckles. “A kiss on the hand may be quite continental.” He quoted, his eyes raking over her as though she were a piece of meat and he a carnivore.

Kara forced a chuckle and drew her hand back, slyly wiping it on her corset. “Oh yes but diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” She reminded him, earning a round of polite chuckles from all in the room.

“Well, we’ll leave you too squirrels to get better acquainted.” Cat grinned, quickly taking J’onn’s arm to lead him from the room. He shot a look back to Kara that just screamed for her to be careful. She gave him a reassuring smile as the door closed. Kara turned back to Mon-El, kindly taking his hat and sauntering over to the hook by the door. She could feel his eyes tracking her and she resisted the urge to shudder uncomfortably. 

Once the hat was in place she sat herself back on the bed, batting her lashes at him and mentally hoping Lena would be smart and try to escape while she could.

“Well after tonight’s impressive exertions on the stage, I imagine you are in need of refreshments.” Mon-el smirked and walked towards the table that Lena was peeking over. Kara squeaked and jumped to her feet, making the duke turn quickly. Kara waved her arms and grabbed his sleeve, hastily yanking him to the large window. 

“Don’t you just love the view?!” She asked, her eyes wild and smile almost too forced. Mon-el just scoffed. 

“Charming.” He said before turning back towards the table.

Kara yelled again, making him jump. Lena peeked over the table once more as Kara began moving about the space, her hips moving in tantalizing circles and her arms waving wildly. Mon-el’s eyes raked over her again and Kara was thankful for his momentary distraction. She jerked her head at Lena, trying to silently tell her to hide.

“Yes well I think I would like a drink.” Mon-El said, reaching back towards the table to pick up the champagne bottle.

“NO!” She blurted, hand outstretched towards the man. “I… It’s a little bit funny!”

“What?”

“This… This feeling…” Kara stumbled. Lena’s eyes widened and she gestured to herself, mouthing the words for the blonde. “Inside!”

Mon-el just raised a brow, watching Kara saunter towards him. “I’m…” she glanced to Lena who was wildly mouthing the words. “I’m not one of those who can easily hide…” Lena bumped a glass on the table and Mon-el began to turn before Kara threw herself to her knees in front of him, hands on his thighs.

“I don’t have much money!” She blurted, standing to caress his legs and hips, acting as if she was about to caress him through his pants. “But oh if I did! I’d buy a big house where we both could live.” she squeezed his member through the fabric of his pants and Mon-El groaned, head falling back as Kara looked at Lena through his legs.

“Go!” she hissed, gesturing to the door. Lena nodded and began to crawl towards her exit. Kara looked up at Mon-el once more, drawing him into her perfect seductive puppy dog eyes.

“ _ I hope you don’t mind, I hope you don’t mind… _ ” Kara began to sing, caressing her way up his body and keeping all of his attention on her as Lena crept towards the door. Kara slowly got to her feet, keeping the duke wrapped up in her sinful siren song, “ _ That I put down in words… How wonderful life is… _ ” Her gaze had stayed locked with Mon-El’s, but when singing the last line, her gaze jumped to Lena, only truth and love in her voice. “ _ Now you’re in the world… _ ”

Mon-El’s eyes sparkled with lust and unmatched infatuation. Kara met his gaze again and just gave a coy little smile. She was an actress, she could play along easily.

“That was very beautiful…” he whispered, his hands moving to settle on Kara’s hips. 

Kara smiled sweetly, her arms wrapping around his shoulders. Behind him, Kara gesticulated wildly at Lena, trying to wave her out the door. 

“It’s from  _ Spectacular, Spectacular _ … Now that you’re here I am beginning to truly understand those words.” she purred. “How wonderful life is, now you’re in the world…”

“And what meaning is that my dear?” he whispered back, his eyes on her lips.

Lena began to ease the door open, trying to back out of it before Mon-El’s manservant, Maxwell, caught her eye. She squeaked, stepping back in the room and slamming the door shut again. 

Mon-El began to turn his head as Lena turned and pressed herself against a pillar, hands over her eyes. Kara threw herself on the bed, crying out a fake sob. 

“Oh Duke!” She cried, slamming her fists into the mattress. “Don’t you toy with my emotions!” she sat up again, looking at him with big watery eyes and a puppy dog pout. “You must know the effect you have on women…” 

Lena looked around for a place to hide, trying to edge behind a decorative curtain on the wall. There were chimes attached and they jangled, and before the Duke could even think of turning around, Kara yanked him on top of her. 

“Let’s make love!”

She pressed Mon-El’s face into her neck, trying not to cringe in disgust as he pressed sloppy open mouthed kisses to her skin. She waved at Lena, ordering her across the room to hide behind a room divider near the window. Lena moved quickly, light on her feet, yet her whole body burned with jealousy at having to hear Kara moan so wantonly for someone else. 

She stopped, turning to look at her lover with sad eyes. Kara looked almost fearful, quickly waving Lena on. 

_ “He will kill you!” _ She mouthed, faking an obscene moan as Mon-El’s hands squeezed her breasts and his hips rocked against hers. Lena opened her mouth as if to reply, her bottom lip wobbling. Kara’s eyes mirrored the same pain and she quickly gripped the back of Mon-El’s collar, yanking him back. 

“You’re right we should wait!” she exclaimed, looking at the duke. Lena gave a small smile and quickly ducked behind the divider.

“Wait?” Mon-El cried, looking rather disappointed. 

“There’s a power in you that scares me,” Kara whispered, drawing her robe up to cover herself once more. “You should go,” she said, pressing her finger to his lips.

“But I just got here!” he said, reaching for her again. Her hands pressed against his chest, moving him towards the door.

“Yes but we will see each other every day during rehearsals!” She opened the door to shove him out. “We must wait until opening night.” She pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth to placate him before slamming the door in his face.

Lena stepped out a small smile on her face. Kara turned on her, leaning heavily on the door. Her skin was paler than usual, eyes less bright, and she had a cold sweat across her forehead.

“Do you have any idea,” She panted shallowly, voice having gone raspy. “What would have happened had you been found?” She moved towards Lena, intending to chew her out before the words were trapped in her throat. She gasped, eyes rolling back as she collapsed forward. Lena caught her easily, her own eyes wide. 

“Kara?!” Lena said, gently shaking the woman in her arms in an attempt to rouse her.

Across the yard of the Moulin Rouge, J’onn and Cat sat in their office, a telescope trained on the partially obscured window of the elephant. 

“Let’s have a little peek…” Cat said, looking through the viewfinder. She saw Kara, held in someone’s arms, gently being shaken up and down in a movement that easily looked like a more scandalous activity. 

“Oh good,” Cat said dryly, drawing away and looking to her partner. “Right on schedule.” She told him. J’onn just crossed her arms over her chest, and Cat rolled her eyes, knowing what he was thinking.

“Oh please, do you think I’m at all excited about the fact that that disgusting man has his paws all over Kara?” Cat asked. J’onn just cocked a brow before Cat continued. “I certainly am not. But Kara… That girl would find a way to tie a rope around the moon if it meant finding a way to get her name in lights. You and I both know she’s more stubborn than a brick wall.”

At that, J’onn cracked a small smile. It was the truth. Kara on a mission was an unstoppable force, and when she didn’t want to do something, she was the definition of an immovable object. 

Both he and Cat could not have been prouder.

Lena gently hauled Kara more firmly into her arms, grunting at the effort and doing her very best to shuffle them towards the bed and not drop Kara in the process.

Meanwhile, Winn and the band of bohemians were creeping in through the window, all of them peeking around the corner at the unfolding events. Lena lugged Kara onto the bed, straddling her as she shifted to make sure Kara was comfortable. There was the click of the door opening, Mon-El’s voice flowing in.

“I seem to have forgotten my hat…” He froze when he saw Lena on top of the blonde. “Foul play?” he growled. Kara was just beginning to come to, a small groan leaving her as she coughed. She blinked, eyes immediately going wide.

“Oh, Duke!”

Mon-El growled. “It’s a little bit funny, this feeling inside.” He spat. 

“Beautifully spoken, duke!” Kara said, cupping Lena’s cheeks who was looking just like a deer caught in headlights. “I’d like to introduce you to our writer! We were just rehearsing.”

“The writer?” he said, disbelieving, slamming the door as he stalked inside. “You expect me to believe you were rehearsing, scantily clad, alone with another woman in the middle of the night, inside an elephant?!”

Kara and Lena both scrambled to their feet, Lena gaping like a fish as she tried to come up with a believable excuse.

Alex could see the distress rolling off of Lena and Kara and she pulled the other Bohemian’s out, coming to the rescue.

“How’s the rehearsal coming?! So sorry we’re late!” She laughed, pulling everyone else into the room. 

“Let’s take it from the top, eh?” Clark suggested, moving over to give Kara a one armed hug. “Excellent show this evening, Kara, just great!”

Maggie banged on the old piano in the corner. “Hope it’s in tune!”

Lois and Lucy started parading around the room, collecting random objects and having a loud exaggerated conversation about how they would make perfect set pieces.

All the while James and Winn beelined straight for the table of champagne and fine food, stuffing their faces eagerly.

Across the yard, Cat took another peek at the telescope, her eyes immediately catching the chaos that had ensued around her investor.

“Oh my god!” She squeaked, turning and grabbing J’onn’s arm to rush them both over to the elephant. “I am going to skin those wild bohemians alive!”

Kara took the lead in the storm that had taken over her apartment, waving her hands as she conjured up a believable story. “Yes you see, earlier when I spoke those words to you I was just struck by such inspiration that I called everyone together for an emergency rehearsal!”

Mon-El frowned, not quite believing the ruse. “Then where is Mr. J’onzz and Ms. Grant?”

As if on cue, both parties burst through the door, Cat’s eyes wide and J’onn looking heavily amused.

“My dear Duke, my sincerest apologies…” Cat began, waving her hands. Kara stepped forward, fixing her with a determined look.

“Catherine! You made it! Don’t worry, the duke knows all about the  _ emergency rehearsal _ .”

“Emergency rehearsal?” J’onn began to ask before Cat silenced him with a hand.

“Yes of course! The emergency rehearsal to incorporate the duke’s grand artistic ideas.”

Kara grinned, turning back to the group. “Yes! The Duke is sure to have marvelous ideas.”

J’onn nodded, “Oh I’m sure Leslie will be delighted--”

Winn cut him off, speaking around a mouthful of food. “Leslie left.”

“What?”

Lucy spoke up, wrapping an arm around Lena and hauling her forward to meet Cat and J’onn. “Hah, it looks like the  _ cat _ is out of the bag, huh?” Cat shot the younger Lane sister a glare to kill and Kara cleared her throat.

“Yes! The duke is already a fan of our writers new work, and that’s why he’s so keen to  _ invest _ .” she said.

“Invest?” Cat asked before her eyes lit up. “Ah yes, invest!” She chuckled, waving her hands and taking her usual command of the room. “Well, my dear Duke, you can’t blame me for hiding our darling…” Lois coughed, speaking Lena’s name under her breath. “Lena, our darling Lena away, can you?”

“I’m way ahead of you, Ms. Grant.” Mon-El smirked, loving the feeling of being superior.

J’onn stepped forward, touching Cat’s shoulder. “Well let’s head to the office and handle the paperwork.” Mon-el raised a hand to cut him off.

“What’s the story?”

“The story?” Kara echoed.

“You can’t really expect me to invest when I don’t know this supposed  _ Spectacular, Spectacular _ story can you?” He said haughtily, reaching out to brush his fingers over Kara’s cheek. She had to physically restrain herself so she didn’t jerk away from his touch.

All eyes in the room turned to Lena. She swallowed, desperately wanting to retreat into herself but when she met Kara’s eyes… Kara’s eyes sent her to a feeling of home for the first time in her life. 

“The story is about love.” Lena said, her eyes going straight for Kara.

“Love?” Mon-El echoed. 

“Yes. A… A princess of a far off land,” Lena gestured to Kara. “She’s sent away after her kingdom is destroyed. She lands in a strange new kingdom where her beauty is sought after by many. She becomes a courtesan in this new land until one day… An evil ruler has come to enslave her new people. She’s tasked with mission to seduce the ruler, convince him to leave her people be, only on the night of the seduction there’s a mixup and she seduces a penniless wr--” she cut herself off, trying to think. “A penniless guitar player! They’re dressed as the ruler because… Because they were playing a show at his palace! They fall in love, but they have to hide their tryst from the evil ruler!” Lena grinned, proud of herself.

James spoke up, flexing impressively. “And I! I will play the incredibly handsome penniless guitar player.” 

Clark spoke up next, “And his guitar! It’s magical! It only speaks the truth.” 

Winn jumped onto James’s back, the larger man holding him easily. “And I will play the magical guitar!” he started strumming an air guitar. He looked to Kara. “Bow wow wow wow! You are beautiful,” he turned to Maggie, pinching her cheek. “Bow wow wow wow, you are tiny.” she punched his side and he winced. He turned to Mon-El, “Bow wow wow wow, and you are--” Before he could say anything at all, Cat grabbed his ear and yanked the man onto the ground, making him land with a loud “OOMF!”

“And he gives the game away!” He said with a self assured grin, as if the whole play was his idea.

“Yes!” the group chorused, playing along in order to secure his money to make the production. Maggie and Alex started playing on the piano, trying to visualize the sounds. Lucy and Lois wrapped the fur blankets around James and Kara, pretending as though they were costumes and Lena kept spinning a brilliant tale, enticing all the ears in the room.

“But in the end should someone die?” Mon-El interrupted.

Lena paused for a moment, before simply continuing on. Cat squeezed Mon-El’s shoulder. “Returns are fixed at ten percent, and on top of your fee, you’ll be involved artistically.”

J’onn came to his other side, really helping to sell the show. “The audiences will stomp and cheer, it’ll be such a hit, theaters all over Europe will be begging to put it on for the next 50 years.”

Mon-El made a plaintive noise, everyone in the room dead silent as they waited for his reaction. Kara and Lena shared a longing look, their attention snapping up when the Duke finally spoke.

“Well, Generally I like it.” He said. The group burst into cheers, the bohemians rushing forth to pass him from hug to hug.

* * *

 

DING! Lena slid the typewriter back to begin a new line. The room was dark save for a candle upon her desk. The Red windmill of the Moulin Rouge no longer spun and dried tears stained papers scattered across Lena’s desk. 

“Cat Grant and J’onn J’onzz had their investor and the Bohemians had a show… While the party raged on above me I struggled to write. But my thoughts kept drifting to her.” Lena typed furiously, wiping at her cheeks as another bout of tears began to well up.

“My Kara, my sweet and beautiful Kara. Was she thinking about me? Did her heart skip a beat in a rhythm that matched my own aching chest? Did her fingertips tingle to once again feel the smooth expanse of my skin like mine did? Did her lips need to feel my kiss as badly as my own needed her?” Lena let out a shaky sigh, her eyes, now full of pain, gazing out the window at the large elephant sculpture that was once the home to the other half of her heart.

She took her fingers off the typewriter keys, a small whisper of words leaving her. “ _ How wonderful life was… When you were in my world…” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> your comments fuel me like absinthe to a bohemian, like kara and the sun, like lena and kale,,,,
> 
> i love u all, come talk to me about this au on tumblr @cuddlyreyes!
> 
> Until next time!


	3. One Day I'll Fly Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena and Kara admit their feelings, Production begins on Spectacular, Spectacular, the Duke grows possessive and something stronger than love begins to take hold of Kara.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im uploading this chapter early bc tonights episode was SO GAY

Kara Zor-El had had an eventful life compared to most even in her short span of 24 years. At 13 she lost her parents to a fire in downtown Paris, was adopted by the king and queen of the Moulin Rouge and at 16 began dancing for the wealthiest men and women in Paris and beyond. She quickly became the crowned jewel of the Moulin Rouge, made her peace with selling her body to the highest bidder and had a small fortune of her own she had accumulated over the years.

Yet happiness… Happiness was often a fleeting emotion she only felt for moments at a time. At the height of pleasure in a one night stand, or when a faceless suit in the crowd places another diamond in her collection. But tonight… Tonight she met a beautiful writer who made her think that emeralds may be her new favorite gemstone.

Kara had changed out of her lacy lingerie, instead wearing a red gown she had worn to have celebratory drinks with Cat and J’onn after the duke and excitable pack of bohemians had vacated her apartment. Now she stood, staring out the large window at the front of the elephant, looking at the apartment building down the street where the Children of the Revolution were celebrating their first battle won.

A light in one of the windows caught her eye and she felt her cheeks begin to match her dress, making out the shape of her enchanting poet, Lena. She felt the echo of her words tickle her ear and send a shiver down her spine.

_ “How wonderful life is now you’re in the world…” _

Kara dropped her gaze from spying on the writer, instead turning it to the rest of the Paris skyline, lit up like distant twinkling stars. 

“One day,” She mused. “One day I’ll fly far away from here…” she turned and walked up the stairs, heading for the rooftop terrace seated on the mighty back of her elephant home. 

“Why live life from dream to dream? I dread the day dreaming ends…” she said, tipping her head back and calling her frustrations to the stars, silently begging for some sort of sign. She let her head fall forward again, staring at the light in the apartment she knew belonged to Lena.

“What could your love do for me?” She scoffed, wiping away the invasive tear that escaped down her cheek. “When will that silly dream be done with me?” She asked, women like her… They didn’t have love. Lust, adoration, devotion… Sure. But once she grew older, her hair silver instead of golden, her eyes ice instead of diamonds… She’d be whisked away like yesterday’s newspaper in the wind.

Love didn’t come for those who sold it by the hour. This was why Kara longed to fly away. She longed to find her name in lights above a stage rather than a glorified brothel, she longed to have people praise her voice rather than her body, longed to find someone who’s love wouldn’t leave her after they found their orgasm between her legs.

“One day I’ll fly, fly away…” She whispered, sitting herself on a bench, wiping at her eyes once more. She heard a rustle behind her and was on her feet in a moment, gasping when she was met with emerald eyes and a shy, girlish smile.

“Sorry! Sorry I didn’t… I climbed up the… Your light was on…” Lena gestured with her hands, blushing as red as Kara’s dress. She still had on pieces of her fine tuxedo from earlier in the night. The blazer was gone, as was the tie and other accessories. She had the white shirt buttoned up save for the top few buttons and the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Her long raven hair was pulled back into a messy excuse for a bun, tied in place with a stray ribbon. 

Kara just shuffled nervously, the seductress act was gone as Lena had caught her in one of her vulnerable moments. The brunette cleared her throat, swallowing hard. 

“I uh. I wanted to thank you.” She said. “For helping me get the job.”

Kara gave a polite smile, pushing her hair out of her face as she forced herself to meet Lena’s eyes. “Yes, yes of course… Winn was right, you’re very talented… It will be a wonderful show,” Kara gave a little nod, turning to retreat back into the solitude of her elephant. “Anyway, it’s late, and we both have big days ahead of us tomorrow.”

Lena stepped towards her, reaching out. “Wait! I… When you thought I was the Duke… You…” She bit her lip. Kara knew what was coming and she forced herself back into the heartless role of the Sparkling Diamond.. “You told me you loved me and I wondered--” 

Kara cut her off. “If it was just an act?” She asked, face cold as she arched a perfect brow.

“Yes.” Lena whispered, sounding almost afraid of the answer.

Kara found herself hesitating before forcing out her answer even though she felt her heart crack. “Of course.”

Lena stepped closer, her lip quivering. “It felt real.”

“Lena…” Kara hastily tried to build the walls back up around her heart. “I’m a courtesan… I’m paid to make people believe what they want to believe.” 

Lena forced a smile despite the sad tears that rolled down her cheeks. “Oh… Silly me. To think that you could fall in love with someone like me.”

“I can’t fall in love with anyone.” Kara said, her own voice quiet and sad as she dropped her gaze away from Lena, turning her back to look back out over the Parisian skyline.

“Can’t fall in love? Wha--” Lena moved forward, reaching for her hand. “A life without love? That’s terrible!” Kara yanked her hand away, turning and taking a hasty step back.

“No! Being on the street, that’s terrible.”

“Love is like oxygen!” Lena insisted, reaching for Kara yet again. She could see the fear in her starry eyes and her heart longed to chase that fear away, to see it begone forever. “Love is a many splendored thing! All you need is love!”

“Please don’t start that again.” Kara pleaded, her voice sad.

“All you need is love,” Lena repeated, taking another step into her space.

“A girl has got to eat!”

“All you need is love!” Lena said, taking her hands.

“Or she’ll end up on the streets!” Kara said, despite gripping Lena’s hands like they were her lifeline.

“All. You Need. Is.  _ Love _ .” Lena whispered, leaning in until their noses were brushing. 

Kara’s lip quivered and she drew back, quickly yanking her hands away. “Love is just a game.”

Lena grew more bold, she knew in her heart of hearts that Kara was her soulmate, her other half. “I was made for loving you. You were made for loving me!”

Kara refused to look at her, holding up a hand to keep her at bay. “The only way of loving me,” She glanced at Lena, putting on her best seductive smolder, “Is to pay a lovely fee.”

Lena moved in, cupping her cheek and delicately tracing her thumb over Kara’s oh so kissable lips. “Just tonight. Just one night.”

Kara stepped back, turning to retreat to the other side of the terrace. “No! There’s no way that you can pay.”

“In the name of love!” Lena tried, chasing after her yet again. “One night. In the name of love.”

“You’re a crazy fool, Lena.” Kara said, she was an excellent actress and she forced out a chuckle. “I won’t give in to you.”

“Don’t.” Lena begged, stepping forward. She took Kara’s hands in both of hers, bringing them up to her own cheeks. Lena placed a kiss to each of Kara’s palms before letting them rest on her face. “I can’t survive without your love, Kara… Please, don’t leave me this way.”

Kara looked into her eyes, opening her mouth as if to speak. She leaned a bit closer, Lena leaning in as well. 

Right before their lips met, Kara forced herself to turn her head. Lena’s lips met the soft skin of her cheek and Kara turned, tears in her eyes as she looked back over the skyline. 

“You’d think that people would grow tired of silly love songs…” She whispered. Lena moved behind her, arms wrapping around slender hips and her chin coming to rest on the blonde’s shoulder. She dropped a kiss to exposed skin before gesturing to the city in front of them.

“I look around me and I see it isn’t so.” Lena whispered. 

Kara closed her eyes, her voice coming out in a sad mumble. “You’re one of those people who want to fill the world with said silly love songs.”

The blonde felt the movement of Lena’s chest against her back as she laughed, spinning Kara in her arms to gently tilt up her chin and get icy eyes to meet emerald.

“Well what’s wrong with that, darling?” she whispered, her own bright smile drawing a small one to the corner of Kara’s lips. “I’d like to know, because here I go…” Lena beamed and jumped onto the edge of the terrace, shouting her devotion to Kara Zor-El to all of paris.

“Love lifts me up where I belong! Up where eagles fly! To the mountains high!”

Kara gasped, grabbing the back of her shirt. “Get down!” She yelled, yanking Lena back onto the terrace she was safe from plummeting to her death. Lena was laughing, she pulled Kara close, pressing a deep kiss to her shocked lips. 

Kara blinked in awe when they separated, feeling sparks flying between them like comets across a night sky. Yet still, she tried to resist, to guard her heart from the pain she knew would come from loving someone while in her line of work.

“Love makes us act like we are fools. So what? We throw our whole lives away for one happy day?” Kara asked, gripping the front of Lena’s shirt. She was terrified of taking the leap with this woman, yet she couldn’t pry herself away. 

“Kara… You and I could be heroes. Even if just for a day.” She grinned, a hand coming up to cup the back of the blonde’s neck, keeping her close. Their lips almost brushed yet again and Kara’s breath hitched before she pulled herself away, holding up the hem of her ballgown as she began to pace the terrace back and forth.

“You… You’ll be mean,” She accused, trying to make excuses to tear herself away from this incredible woman in front of her. Lena just barked another laugh, trying to reach for her again.

“No I won’t!”

Kara swatted her hand away gently, waving her hands about herself as if to clear the air around her head of lovesick thoughts. “And I… Oh I’ll drink all the time!”

Lena knew Kara was making excuses, trying to talk herself out of leaping. The brunette grinned, her whole body alight with love fueled adrenaline. “We should be lovers!”

Kara shook her head, “Lena… We can’t do that.”

Lena stepped into her space, “We should be lovers.” she whispered, taking her hands, trying to show her she would never be alone. “And that’s a fact.”

Kara’s lip wobbled, all the fear she felt around giving her heart away showing plainly on her face. “Though nothing will keep us together…”

Lena shook her head, cupping her cheeks and pressing flush against her. “I will steal time from this day, to show you every single day, that I will always love you.” Lena pulled her into a deep kiss, her heart bursting with adoration when she felt Kara grip her shirt to pull her closer, melting under her lips. 

After several long moments, Kara pulled back just enough to whisper against her lips. “I can’t help loving you…”

Lena’s eyes were bright, sparkling with stars gifted to her from the galaxies hidden behind Kara’s loving gaze. “How wonderful life is,” Lena whispered, thumbs delicately caressing her lover’s cheekbones as if she were made of glass. “Now that you’re in my world…”

Kara giggled, pressing another kiss to Lena’s lips before moving to whisper in her ear, hugging her tightly. “You’re going to be bad for business… I can tell…”

* * *

“Oh yes,” Lena whispered, fingers dancing across loud sounding keys as she recalled the beautiful feelings she felt, standing atop the world on the back of an elephant with the other half of her soul in her arms. “How wonderful life was, now that Kara was in the world.”

Robotically she reset the typewriter to a new line, taking out the finished piece and delicately blowing across the page to dry the ink containing a heart’s worth of love and emotion. She loaded a new piece of paper, momentarily shaking out her hands and wiping at her eyes in an attempt to erase the red bloodshot color.

“But in the Duke,” her fingers continued, the rhythmic click-clack echoing in the room the way Lena’s own heartbeat echoed in her ears. “Cat Grant and J’onn J’onzz got far more than they bargained for…”

* * *

 

The Duke Mon-El sat in the chair in front of Cat Grant’s desk as if it was a throne, his manservant Maxwell Lord lurking just behind his right shoulder like some sort of twisted pirate’s parrot. 

“Converting the Moulin Rouge into a theater will cost a rather fantastic sum,” he began, smirking wickedly. “Which for pockets as deep as my own is no problem, but… I require some insurance.” He snapped his fingers, Maxwell handed over a folder.

He slid the paper towards the pair, pointing to the lines on the bottom where their signatures were required. “I require a contract that bonds Kara  _ exclusively _ to me.” Cat and J’onn shared a look, glancing over the fine print. It simply meant that Kara would no longer entertain anyone else for money during the production of  _ Spectacular, Spectacular _ … 

Cat bit the bullet first, she grabbed her pen and quickly scrawled her name across the first line. J’onn followed suit. But the man knew that if that Duke harmed one hair on his girl’s head that he would tear him apart with no mercy. Cat seemed to know what he was thinking and she laid a reassuring hand on his bicep as he signed. 

“And of course I’ll need some security.” He leaned forward, chin up haughtily. “I require the deeds to the Moulin Rouge.”

Cat froze. “My dear duke…” she began. He held up a hand, silencing her with a glare.

“Do not think I am naive, Ms. Grant.” Mon-El growled. “I will hold the deeds and If there are any shenanigans,” He shot a glare at J’onn, “Then I will have my manservant Maxwell, deal with them in the only language you underworld showfolk seem to understand.” He growled, the threat clear in his words even as Maxwell drew his coat aside to show a gun holstered at his hip.

Mon-El leaned back into his chair, smoothing his hand over the top of his hat. “Kara will be mine.” He warned them both. “It is not that I am a jealous man.” His grip on the hat grew white knuckled. “I just don’t like other people touching my  _ things _ !” 

His voice rose into a shout and Cat and J’onn both bt back the fury that was swirling like angry hurricanes in their guts. J’onn finally broke the silence, his distaste for the man clear on his face and his barely contained rage was clear in his voice.

“We understand, Duke.”

“Good. Now that we have reached an agreement, it seems you now have the means to turn your beloved Moulin Rouge into a theater.”

The conversion of the Moulin Rouge began almost immediately, Cat gathering the cast, crew and dancers in what was once the main dance hall. She conducted the group like she was conducting an orchestra.

“We will have created the world’s first completely modern, entirely electric, totally bohemian, all singing, all dancing, stage spectacular!” She snapped and a group of workers picked her up, carrying down the stairs to be set down delicately on the main floor just as a large wrecking ball crashed through the wall where Cat had just been standing. 

She turned to the group, clapping again. “Chop chop! The show must go on!” She dismissed. Mon-El moved to her side, gripping her bicep to speak in her ear. 

“I will be wooing Kara over supper tonight,” He informed her, a smirk on his face. Cat grit her teeth, giving a small nod. “Good.” He said, turning on his heel to go prepare.

* * *

 

“The show would go on.” Lena typed, taking a small break from her flurry of typing to pour herself another shot, downing it with a small cough before realigning the paper. “But Kara would not be attending supper that night or the following night…”

* * *

 

“Mad with jealousy, the evil ruler forces the beautiful courtesan to tell the magical guitar player that she doesn’t love him…” Lena told, moving around the apartment, hands full of papers. Kara laid upon a daybed, giggling at her lover’s antics and, dressed in one of Lena’s shirts over her bra and panties. Their friends all scattered about the apartment around them, laughing at Lena’s excited telling of the masterful story she’d crafted. 

Lena imitated James’ deep voice as she spoke as the evil ruler. “‘Thank you for curing me of my ridiculous obsession with love!’,” She laughed, switching back to her own voice, standing up on a chair, “Says the guitar player, throwing money at the courtesan’s feet and then leaving the kingdom!” She jumped off the chair, making Kara squeal as Lena landed on the day bed, crawling up to hover over the blonde, trailing kisses up her jaw as Kara laughed. 

“But a life without love?!” She lamented, tangling her hands in Lena’s hair. “Oh that’s terrible!” Lena grinned and planted a kiss on her lips, pure happiness in her eyes.

“Yes, but the magical guitar says--” Lena is cut off by Winn shouting from the kitchen.

“Lena! That’s my part! Don’t you dare! The magical guitar, who can only speak the truth says--” Winn took a deep breath to give his most dramatic delivery of his line, before Maggie beat him to it.

“The greatest thing you will ever learn is just to love, and to be loved in return.” Maggie said, grinning as she pressed kisses up Alex’s neck to her lips. Alex laughed, pulling her lover back to whisper to her. 

“I love you,” she said.

Maggie smiled a big dimpled grin, “Te amo,” 

Lena looked around at their friends, their  _ family _ . She couldn’t remember ever feeling her heart so full. 

Kara leaned up, nibbling on her earlobe before whispering softly. “I love you, my duchess.” She smiled, pressing a gentle kiss to her jaw. The nickname came from their first meeting, though Lena wasn’t anything near wealthy, she spent all of her time treating Kara like a princess. 

Lena turned her head to bump her nose against Kara’s, grinning as she looked into her eyes. “And I love you, my shining star.”

In their home, with their family, wrapped up in each other’s arms, Lena knew that no matter what happened Kara would always hold her heart in the palm of her hand.

Over the coming weeks, Lena and Kara only fell deeper and deeper in love, they spend hours rehearsing and writing  _ Spectacular, Spectacular _ together, sneaking away in the depths of the newly built theater to steal kisses and explore each other’s bodies with hands and mouths. 

The Duke Mon-El was a jealous man, making it his personal mission to secure Kara’s affections for him in anyway possible. He burst into Kara’s dressing room unannounced, Kara and Lena barely pulling their mouths apart before he saw them.

“Picnic, my sweet?” The Duke asked, ignoring the way Kara’s lipstick was smudged and Lena’s mouth seemed look more red than seemed natural. He shifted the picnic basket in his arms.

Kara giggled coyly, “Oh thank you, Dear Duke, but I’m afraid we have so much to do… So much work to be done.”

Mon-El would not take no for an answer. “Well if the young writer can carry a basket I don’t see why you both can’t do it in my presence!”

The rehearsals dragged on everyday, sun up to sundown. Winn always struggled with his lines and Lena found it deeply endearing, viewing the man as something like a little brother.

“Winn! The guitar player falls from the roof and he says--”

“Yes! Yes! He says, the greatest thing… Um…” Winn groaned, “Don’t tell me! Uh… The greatest thing you’ll ever… master… no, make! No… Contract….” 

Lena laughed, shaking her head in fond exasperation.

“Still at it, my sweet?!” Mon-El burst into Kara’s dressing room yet again, Lena’s collar barely hiding the dark red lipstick stains on her neck just as Kara pulled her hair to cover a deep hickey at the base of her neck.

“Oh dear Duke! So many lines to learn,” she said, sounding breathless from her and Lena’s previous activities. “We’ve been  _ drilling  _ them over and over.” 

Lena bit back a small giggle at Kara’s choice of words, flexing the fingers of her right hand that had just been very busy beneath Kara’s skirt.

Maggie and Alex worked with a massive orchestra, creating an epic score to accompany the sweet lyrics penned by Lena and inspired by Kara. 

Winn rehearsed his part constantly, James following suit whenever he was able to stay conscious long enough to get through a scene.

Lucy and the cancan costumer of the Moulin Rouge created dresses, suits of armor and incredible costumes right out of the mythical kingdom described on Lena’s pages.

Clark and Lois built castle walls, created landscapes of a magical world and designed a mighty throne for the evil ruler, creating the universe in which love would conquer all upon the Moulin Rouge’s beautiful stage. 

All was coming together.

Try as the Duke may,  it was all too easy for writer and actress to invent reasons to avoid him. Lena shuffled her papers, kneeling down beside Kara’s chair to speak with her while she sat beside Mon-El to watch the ensemble rehearse their dance numbers.

“Excuse me, Mademoiselle Kara... “ Lena bit back a wide grin when her favorite pair of eyes met her own. “I haven’t finished the new scene, the ‘Will the lovers be meeting at the guitar players humble abode?’ Scene… May I work on it with you later tonight?”

Mon-El tensed, butting in quickly. “My dear, I’ve arranged a magnificent supper for us in the gothic tower!”

Lena looked crestfallen, gaze dropping to the floor as she moved to stand, jealousy curling in her stomach. “Oh. It’s not important, we can work on it tomorrow…” 

Kara reached out and gripped her wrist. “Nonsense! It cannot wait until tomorrow ‘The lovers  _ will _ be meeting in the guitar player’s humble abode’ scene is the most important in the production. We will work on it tonight until I am completely satisfied!” Lena smiled to herself, unable to hide the giddy feeling at Kara’s touch on her wrist.

Mon-El growled, “Mademoiselle Kara…”

Kara stood quickly, raising a hand to silence him. “Dear Duke. Excuse me.” She sauntered off. 

Lena bit back a giggle, stifling a smile when Mon-El glared at her. “I’m sorry,” Lena tipped her head to excuse herself as well.

The duke was fuming, watching Cat and J’onn round up the ensemble to dismiss them for the day. “Excellent work today, all!” J’onn called, Cat nodded, writing some things down. “Yes, that was nearly acceptable. Bright and early tomorrow we begin act two! ‘The Lovers Are Discovered’.” 

Kara yanked Lena behind a pillar, both of them giggling like schoolgirls as they exchanged heated kisses, and Lena’s hand began to wander up Kara’s thigh. The blonde let out a small moan and Lena grinned against her neck where she was trailing kisses. 

“Does the Duke know you aren’t wearing any panties, Ms. Zor-El?” Lena moaned, sliding two fingers up to press into her lover, both of them letting out matching moans at the feeling. 

Kara’s hips began to rock, her cheeks flushed as she let out a pleasured little giggle, hands tangling into Lena’s dark locks. “Oh… I… Consider it an artistic decision…” She whispered, moaning loudly when her lover’s thumb made contact with her clit, rubbing in fast little circles in time with the thrust of her fingers.

Lena silenced the blonde with a kiss, their foreheads pressed together as they both panted, rocking together.

Down below, on the stage, Mon-El rushed to Cat and J’onn.

“Grant! J’onzz!” He growled out. Cat took a breath on put on a polite smile.

“Ah, my dear duke, everything is ready for your dinner in the gothic tower.”

“Well you may as well eat it yourself,” Mon-El snarled, “Her affections are waning. I understand her work is important to her but she’s always at it with that damn writer!”

Before Cat could reply, she and J’onn both heard a gasp they knew belonged to Kara. They had trained their ears to pick up the noise for when Kara was having an episode and couldn’t breathe, but when they spotted the blonde, head thrown back and Lena’s face buried in her neck as they rocked together on the balcony above them, they knew it wasn’t the gasp they needed to be worried about. 

“If I don’t see her tonight, I’m very well leaving!” The Duke hissed.

Mon-El began to turn to follow their gaze but Cat gripped his shoulder, “No!” she said, drawing his attention back to her. “I will  _ insist _ Kara take the night off.” she assured.

Mon-El looked placated for the moment. “Good. Alright. Eight o’clock then.” he gave a cocky smile and turned on his heel, walking to dress for dinner. 

Cat and J’onn shared a look, both having the same identical worry in their eyes.

“I’ll handle it,” Cat assured. J’onn nodded, rubbing a hand over his face. “I’ll go to the tower and placate the duke.”

The broke apart and went their separate ways. 

Lena and Kara were panting on the balcony, foreheads pressed together and adoring little kisses passed between them. Lena slowly pulled her fingers out from between Kara’s legs, moaning as she licked the sweet taste of her lover away. Kara bit her lip, usually icy eyes stirring like the ocean in a storm.

“You’re so beautiful,” Kara whispered, drawing her close into another passionate kiss. 

Lena grinned and broke away with a teasing nip to the blonde’s lower lip. “You’ll come tonight?” She whispered, “So I can make love to you properly… I can only handle so many dressing room trysts before I need to ravish you all night long, my love.”

Kara grinned, letting out another breathless chuckle as she pressed kisses across Lena’s nose and cheeks. “I’ll be there.” she swore.

“What time?”

“Eight o’clock.”

Lena smiled and pulled her close again, kissing down her jaw. “Promise?”

Kara laughed and playfully pried herself away, “Yes, I promise. Now go before we’re both caught and lose our jobs.” 

Lena leaned in for one more breath stealing kiss.

“I love you.”

“I love you,” Kara echoed, gently pushing her down the hall. Lena just grinned, looking back over her shoulder before she disappeared down the corridor.

Kara giggled and looked down at her dress, righting it as much as she could before trying to fix her ruined hairdo. Cat rounded the corner and grabbed the blonde’s arm in an iron grip.

“Are you mad?!” She hissed, her heart aching at seeing such a scared look on Kara’s face. “The Duke holds the deeds to the Moulin Rouge! He’s spending a fortune on you! He’s given you a theater, a shining new dressing room. Kitten, he wants to make you a star.” She shook Kara gently, hoping some sense would be knocked into her. “And you’re dallying with the writer!”

“Cat, what are you talking--”

Cat cut her off with a hiss. “I saw you together!”

Kara’s eyes widened and she took a few deep breaths to try and calm her hammering heart. “I-It’s just an infatuation…” She lied.

“The infatuation will end.” Cat said, feeling a stab of pain in her heart when she saw the usual starry night of Kara’s eyes change to that of a devastating thunderstorm. “Go to the girl. Tell her it’s over. The Duke is expecting you in the tower at eight.”

Cat turned to leave, unable to bear the heartbreak she saw showing on Kara’s face, plain as day.

_ If I should die at this very moment, I would not fear. For I’ve never known completeness like being wrapped in the warmth of your arms, loving every breath of you… _

Kara’s thoughts raced as her lungs seized, gasping desperately for breath. She managed to choke out a word.

“C-Cat!” She wheezed before starting to violently cough, a hand coming up to cover her mouth, her pale palm growing crimson from blood. She greedily sucked in small gasps of air when able, but it wasn’t enough. 

Cat rounded the corner to run to her just as Kara’s eyes rolled back and she collapsed to the floor, blood staining the corner of her mouth and her chin. “Help!” Cat shouted, “Someone help me and find the doctor!”

A few of the stagehands rushed forward, helping Cat scoop Kara up and get her onto a daybed backstage. Her forehead was clammy, a cold sweat on her forehead and her breathing coming in sharp little gasps and coughs that reddened a white handkerchief Cat held to her lips.

“Oh, Kitten…” Cat whispered, pain in her eyes.

The doctor administered some medicine but his face looked grim.

“Will she be up by tonight?” Cat asked. 

The doctor shook his head. “Tomorrow morning at the earliest…”

* * *

 

Lena downed a swig of whiskey straight from the bottle, her vision blurred from her own tears as she continued writing, finger’s flying across the keys as if getting out the story would bring her lover back.

“How could I know that in those last fatal days, a force darker than jealousy, and stronger than love, had begun to take hold of my Kara?”

**_DING!_ **

Lena pushed the machine back into place, the new line staring blankly back at her as she felt the pain of heartbreak hitting her once again like a locomotive tearing down a track. Tears began to fall and Lena took another swig, pushing her hair out of her face after she set the bottle back on the desk top. 

Her elbows settled onto her desk and she buried her face in her hands, shivering from the sobs she worked so hard to keep locked behind the knot in her throat. A steady stream of hot tears flowed as she choked out the words she desperately wished she could hear Kara whisper back to her, just one more time.

_ “Come... what... may…” _

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as per usual, thank you so much for reading!!
> 
> Your comments and feedback mean the world to me!!!
> 
> come find me on tumblr and twitter @cuddlyreyes and tell me what you think!


	4. The Show Must Go On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena and Kara's love is put to the test but the show must go on

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING! The duke gets angry and gets a bit rough with Kara, nothing graphic and the scene is very short, but it is in there.
> 
> Thanks for reading!

J’onn J’onzz was many things to many people. To most outside the Moulin Rouge, he was a pimp who moonlighted as a performer. To Cat, he was a business partner, confidante, and something of a brother. To many of the girls at the Rouge he was a protector and a well of advice.

To Kara Zor-El, he considered himself something of a father.

Years ago before the Moulin Rouge was as successful as it was now, he had lost his wife in childbirth to his second daughter. 3 summers later he lost his daughters to influenza. He became a cold shell of his former self, acting as security in the early days of Cat’s grand cancan performances. His protective actions and swift ejection of anyone who even  _ looked _ at the girls funny caught Cat’s eye and the pair found a kindred spirit in one another. 

Their bond only grew stronger when they found a scrawny 13 year old girl, soaked to the bone, begging for scraps from men and women as they passed through the gates into the Moulin Rouge.

J’onn J’onzz knew there was nothing on this earth he would not do for Kara Zor-El.

“The Duke is leaving!”

This included distracting a duke for a few hours in order to help his adopted daughter reach her dream of seeing her name in lights.

“She’s confessing!” J’onn called to the man’s retreating back. Mon-El turned sharply, glaring at the man.

“Confessing?” He hissed, stomping back towards the other man. “What sort of idiot do you take me for, J’onzz?” 

J’onn was quick on his feet and spun an elaborate tale out of thin air. “She suddenly had a terrible desire to go to a priest… You know, she wanted to be free of the burden of sin from her former life.”

Mon-El just raised a brow, still disbelieving. J’onn just continued.

“Kara looked upon tonight as… As the beginning of her new life. Wouldn’t you too want to confess a lifetime of sin to start over?” He asked, really hamming it up to sell it. He knew Mon-El had an ego larger than the whole of Paris and hitting it would derail any doubting thoughts that passed through his head.  _ If thoughts are even capable of passing through him. _ J’onn thought with an inward eye roll.

“She said you make her feel like a blushing bride. She wanted to be worthy of dressing in white.” He grit out gruffly.

Mon-El’s eyes lit up at the implication, his thought process running through his pants rather than through his hat. “You mean… Like a  _ virgin _ ?”

J’onn tensed, physically restraining himself from punching the other man square in the nose. “Yes.” he answered, sitting down and picking up a glass of wine. He needed the alcohol if he was to make it through the night with the pompous duke.

“As she should be.” Mon-El bragged, seating himself at the head of the table to J’onn’s left, in a chair that the black man felt looked too similar to a throne. “She is  _ mine _ , it’s only fitting I be the only one to touch her.”

J’onn poured himself another glass of wine, downing it like a shot before grumbling out some vague sound that could be passed off as agreement. Mon-El kicked his feet up, resting them on the edge of the grand dining table. 

“Opening night will come  _ my  _ Kara will become a star and she’ll fall into my bed like an obedient little wife should.” Mon-El mused, snapping his fingers and ordering a waiter over. He picked at the food on the plate, tossing an h'orderve into his mouth with a disgustingly entitled smile. 

“Of course.” J’onn replied. Mon-El leaned forward some, regarding the man with a raised brow.

“Tell me, J’onn, what is a man like yourself doing parading around with whores and those disgusting bohemians?” He chewed with his mouth open, making the other man grit his jaw in disgust.

“I enjoy my work actually. Cat and I built the Moulin Rouge from the ground up.” He explained, holding up his glass and quietly thanking a waiter when his wine was refilled yet again.

The Duke just laughed, nodding his head slowly as if he understood. “Ah! I see, you enjoy the benefits.” 

J’onn raised a questioning brow.

The Duke just continued, “Free access under many a girl’s dress.” He grinned wickedly. “You’re smarter than I thought, old man.” He raised his own glass of wine to his lips after tipping it in a slight toast to J’onn.

J’onn felt like he would be sick. “Thank you.” he grumbled. Anything to keep the Duke from withdrawing his money or raising a hand to Kara.

Anything for Kara.

* * *

 

“J’onn J’onzz’s brilliant lies had once again averted disaster…” Lena typed. “But no lie, however brilliant, could save my Kara.” 

She reloaded a new paper, the memories flowing out of her like a river off a cliff. 

“All night, the penniless guitar player had waited. The clock struck eight and she was alone. The clock struck 8:30 and she was alone. The clock struck nine…” Lena’s fingers hesitated over the keys. She squeezed her eyes closed, Kara’s smiling face burned into the back of her eyelids, her melodic laugh rang in her ears and the memory of her touch scorched Lena’s cheek.

She let out a shuddered sob, fingers clicking away at the typewriter once more. “She was alone.” 

“For the first time, she felt the cold stab of jealousy.”

* * *

 

J’onn came rushing in after the duke had finally passed out after one too many glasses of wine. He frowned when he saw Kara, looking so pale and fragile. The raspy sound of her shallow breathing broke his heart.

The doctor stood, removing his hat and looking sad. “I… I’m sorry, Ms. Grant, Mr. J’onzz… Mademoiselle Kara is dying. She has consumption.”

Cat felt like she had just been sucker punched in the chest. She sucked in a breath, her hand automatically going to stroke Kara’s hair, pushing the sweaty strands off her clammy forehead. 

“My little kitten… Is dying?” She asked, quiet agony in her voice. She looked down at Kara. The girl was so young, only 13 years ago had Cat found the poor thing begging in the rain. She knew recently that Kara had been the victim of fainting spells… She just assumed it had been from the relatively new exertion of being the starring at of the Moulin Rouge, not something as deadly as tuberculosis.

Kara began hacking again, her back arching painfully off the daybed as her lungs shuddered and begged for air. Cat and J’onn quickly got her turned onto her side, the man rubbing her back while Cat wiped away the all too crimson blood that stained Kara’s chin and lips. 

“Shh… There, there, little one… You’re alright,” Cat whispered when the hacking died down and Kara fell back into an exhausted sleep. J’onn’s eyes were full of his own agony and he touched Cat’s hand where it was resting on Kara’s side.

“Cat…” He whispered, meeting her eyes. “We can’t tell her…. She… Knowing one’s days are numbered is no way to live.”

Cat closed her eyes for a moment before she opened them to gaze upon Kara’s face. She looked almost peaceful in sleep. Were it not for the dark circles and a small red stain on the corner of her mouth, no one would know she was sick.

“You’re right.” Cat said softly, taking a deep breath before reluctantly standing to cover Kara with a blanket to help her sweat out her light fever. “The show must go on.”

The next afternoon, Kara found herself in Lena’s bed, wrapped up in a robe while Lena clicked away at her typewriter. There was pain hidden behind bright green eyes but Kara was doing everything in her power to avoid those eyes that usually held so much love for her. Kara coughed a few times, trying to muffle the sound into the back of her hand.

The typewriter dinged at the end of a line and like a switch, Lena was up, walking towards the bed where Kara sat. 

“Where were you last night?” She asked, watching the way Kara dropped her gaze to the bedsheets as if the sloppy stitching held the secrets to the universe.

“I told you… I was sick.” She whispered, bottom lip moving between her teeth as Lena crawled up the bed beside her to cup her cheeks. 

Icy blue met misty green and Lena brushed her thumb over perfect cheekbones. “You don’t have to lie to me.” She said, a plea wrapped up in her words. She leaned in, pressing a few desperate pecks to her lips. 

Kara nearly melted into them before her hand reached up to Lena’s chest, pushing her back with a wobble of her bottom lip. “We have to end it.” she whispered, prying herself away to sit on the edge of the bed. She couldn’t bear to watch Lena’s heart break right in front of her.

“I--” Lena began, prepared to fight to keep Kara in her arms.

“Everyone knows!” She blurted, a hand coming up to her mouth to cover another small cough. “Cat and J’onn know… Sooner or later the Duke will find out as well.”

Lena’s breath caught in her throat and she reached to touch Kara’s shoulder. The blonde quickly stood, avoiding the touch and walking to the window. 

“On opening night I have to sleep with the Duke.” She whispered. Lena felt more than heard the growl leave her own lips as Kara gave a humorless chuckle, unshed tears making those starry blue eyes sparkle in the worst way. 

“And the jealousy will drive you mad…”

Lena shook her head. She wouldn’t accept that. She would do anything, fight anything, anyone, if it meant Kara was hers. “No…” She said, standing and walking over to wrap her arms around Kara’s hips, leaving kisses tinged with desperation across her shoulder and up her neck.

“Lena…”

“No! I’ll write a song.” Lena said, spinning Kara in her arms and holding onto the other woman’s forearms, pressing more kisses along her cheeks and over her forehead even as Kara’s own half-hearted protests reached her ears. “I’ll put it in the show!”

“Lena you can’t--”

“--And when you sing it or--”

“--This can’t work…”

“--or when you hum it or just hear the words--”

“Lena…”

“No matter where we are we’ll know that we love one another!” Lena begged, cupping Kara’s cheeks to look into her eyes. “I won’t get jealous…”

Kara felt a tear escape and roll down her cheek. She closed her eyes, backing out of Lena’s grip, her heart cracking with each step.

“Things don’t work that way, Lena.”

Internally, Lena was rushing around her heart with a needle and thread, desperately trying to mend the cracks and insist that Kara’s hands would reach back into her chest and cradle her heart like it did just one day before. Before jealousy took hold and tried to destroy the symphony Kara Zor-El created with every smile, every touch, every single kiss the pair of them shared. 

Lena’s mind jumped back to their first meeting. The moment she recited her poetry to Kara and their hearts connected, beating as one and matching tempo so easily, both women knew the universe meant for them to be together.

Poetry. That was their language.

“I never knew I could feel like this.” Lena told her, voice barely above the whisper. “I truly hadn’t seen the sky before I met you, Kara, before I looked into your eyes.”

The blonde’s eyes slowly opened and Lena felt her lips tugged into a small adoring smile, she leaned forward, her nose brushing Kara’s and a few cracks in her heart healing when her lover didn’t pull away again.

“I want to lose myself inside your kiss.” She whispered, a hand coming to cup the back of her neck and draw her down into a kiss. Lena poured every ounce of her love into that kiss, and when she felt Kara reciprocate, the brunette’s heart soared.

She pulled back just enough to whisper between heated kisses. 

“Seasons may change, winter to spring, but I will love you…” she kissed over Kara’s jaw, dropping to her knees like she was worshipping a goddess. “Until my dying day…”

Her hands pushed Kara’s robe up to her hips, mouth trailing hot kisses along her hip. Kara’s hands threaded in her hair, a low breathy gasp leaving her. Lena’s mouth began to do sinful things between her legs and Kara recited a promise between desperate moans.

“I will love you…” Kara gasped, the feeling of Lena’s tongue driving her to see the face of god, “Until my… Oh… Until my dying day… Lena!” Kara cried, pleasure washing over her whole body while her heart overflowed with the warmth of a thousand suns and the love of Lena Luthor.

Lena kissed back up her body, meeting Kara’s lips in a passion fueled kiss the greatest love poets of history would have been in awe of.

“Come what may,” Lena whispered, forehead pressed to Kara’s. Kara smiled adoringly, her hands cupping her lover’s cheeks, echoing her promise of forever.

“Come what may…” 

Opening night was drawing closer and closer, Lena wrote the lover’s secret song into the show, smiling every time she worked with James and Kara on performing it. Hearing Kara belt the words that meant so much between them while in front of the unsuspecting Duke gave Lena a rush almost equivalent of having Kara laid bare in her bed, endless pleasure and never ending passing between them.

“Mademoiselle Kara, if we could take it from your line,” Lena prompted, her cheeks flushing at the smile the blonde shot her.

Kara smiled, holding James’ hand as they went through the song.  _ “There’s no mountain too high, no river too wide…”  _

James picked up the next line but Lena was mouthing along, every word written for Kara. For them.  _ “My darling, sing this song and I’ll be there by your side…” _

The pair stood up, hand in hand as the rest of the ensemble filled in around them. Maggie and Alex roused the orchestra into a crescendo of percussion and melodic music as they all continued the song.

_ “Storm clouds may gather, stars may collide, but I love you…”  _ They all sang, Kara interjected on the harmony, her eyes on Lena as she sang.

_ “I love you…” _

Lena waved her hand like a conductor, grinning as she watched her words come to life, watched the love of her life sing the poetry she wrote for them. 

_ “Come what may! Come what may!” _ They sang, hands raising up for the booming finale. James and Kara sang above the chorus, their voices melding together to form a harmony Lena almost enjoyed as much as her own voice mixing with Kara’s.

_ “I will love you, until the end… of…. Time!”  _ The music came to a head, drums and cymbals crashing until the band cut off, the whole ensemble pausing for the applause.

Lena grinned, stepping forward and applauding them. “The magical Guitar then falls from the roof and says…” She turned to Winn. 

Winn opened his mouth to reply before his face went blank. “Um… Line?” he blushed sheepishly. Lena just laughed good naturedly, smiling at the smaller man.

Her gaze turned to Kara, her voice full of the pure devotion she felt for her. “The greatest thing you can ever learn is just to love, and be loved in return.”

Siobhan, one of the cancan dancers who had always been rather jealous of Kara leaned down near the Duke’s ear.

“This ending is silly,” she told him. “I mean, why would the courtesan choose the penniless writer?” The Duke’s head turned quickly, looking at her with shock and sudden realization on his face. Siobhan just grinned wickedly.

“Oops! I mean the penniless guitar player.” she giggled, squeezing his shoulder before sauntering off. 

Mon-El felt a monster curl up from his chest, his vision tinged red with rage and jealousy. He stood up quickly, knocking his chair back with a loud clatter. Everyone turned to him, in shock at such an outburst.

“I don’t like this ending!” He shouted, nostrils flaring and his whole body trembling from his anger.

Cat stepped out from the wing, quickly trying to put out the impending fire. “Don’t like the ending, dear duke?” she questioned, stepping towards him. Mon-El took a few stomping step forwards, glaring right at Lena before turning to Kara.

“Why would the courtesan choose a penniless guitar player over the ruler of a nation?!” He asked, gesticulating wildly, a manic look in his eyes. “The ruler is promising a lifetime of riches and security.  _ That _ is real love!” Mon-El walked closer to the stage, gesturing at James as he spoke but his eyes kept flickering angrily to Lena.

“Once the guitar player has satisfied his lust, he will leave the courtesan with nothing. I  _ suggest _ ,” he hissed, clearly meaning it as an order. “That in the end, the courtesan choose the ruler.”

Winn darted forward from his spot in the chorus, “But wait! That ending doesn’t uphold any of our bohemian ideals of truth, beauty, freedom and lo--” Mon-el turned, shouting right in his face.

“I don’t care about your ridiculous ideals!” His voice echoed through the theater and he pulled back, quickly composing himself though he still shook. “Why wouldn’t the courtesan choose the ruler?” he asked, looking at Kara possessively. 

Lena growled, shouting from her spot off to the side. “IT’S BECAUSE SHE DOESN’T LOVE YOU!” 

Everyone turned to stare, Kara’s eyes wide in fear. Lena saw the look and quickly tried to backtrack, hands shaking as she tripped over her words.

“Him… She doesn't… She doesn’t love  _ him... _ ”

Mon-El took a deep breath, if looks could kill, Lena would be six feet under. “Oh I see now.” he growled under his breath before turning to Cat.

“Ms. Grant. I want the ending rewritten where the courtesan will choose the ruler and  _ without _ the lover’s secret song.” Mon-El said, his hands curled into fists at his side. “It will be rehearsed in the morning and be ready for tomorrow’s opening night.”

“Duke, that’s nearly impossible--” J’onn said, trying to defend his people from the petulant man child that was looking at Kara like a piece of meat.

Kara stepped up, speaking over J’onn and looking right at Mon-El.

“J’onn! Our dear duke has been treated horribly,” she stepped down from the stage, resting her hands on his shoulders and looking into his eyes, her seductive siren persona firmly in place. Lena had to physically restrain herself from racing forward as Mon-El’s hands rested on Kara’s lower back, practically groping her ass in front of everyone.

“Those silly writers…” Kara purred, leaning close to him to distract him from his rage. “They let their imaginations run away with them, you know…” Her hands moved to adjust his collar, speaking in a slow sensual drawl. “How about you and I have some supper, and afterwards we can let Mr. J’onzz and Ms. Grant know about the ending, hm?”

Mon-El nodded dumbly, his rage subdued as his eyes drifted down the front of her low cut dress, sticking to her chest. “I’ll go arrange that dinner…” he said, prying himself away. 

Kara just smiled, hearing Cat dismiss everyone. “Thank you, Dear Duke.” She gave a little wave before turning to head to her dressing room to change for dinner. 

A few moments after she closed the door behind her, Lena was stepping in, rushing to her side.

“I don’t want you to sleep with him.” She begged, pain in her eyes. Kara stepped behind a divider, yanking off her dress and changing into lacy lingerie, knowing she was going to have to placate the duke somehow. She pulled on a provocative black dress, stepping out to do her hair and makeup.

“He could destroy everything.” Kara reminded Lena, her own voice tight and angry. “I’m doing this for us.”

Lena was shaking, pacing the room. “You promised me--”

Kara grabbed her arm, “You promised me you wouldn’t be jealous.” She whispered, pressing a kiss to Lena’s lips to calm her. “It will be alright.”

Lena let out a shuddering breath. “It will be alright…” she repeated, attempting to comfort herself as well as Kara.

“Yes. Now I have to go. He’s waiting.”

That knocked away any feeling of calm Lena had clung to. “No…” she begged, gripping Kara’s wrist. The blonde yanked her hand away but reached to cup Lena’s cheek.

“Come what may,” Kara whispered, a promise, as she stared into depths of gorgeous green.

After a few long moments, Lena’s voice wobbled as she replied. “Come what may…”

Kara had gone to the tower to save them all. For their part, the rest of the Moulin Rouge could do nothing but wait.

“My dear Duke… I do hope I have not kept you waiting…”

The mood at the Moulin Rouge was one of anxious anticipation. For some, the fate of the show hung in the balance while Lena knew it was her heart that could be facing destruction.

Siobhan was having far too much fun taunting the poor writer. She dropped herself into Lena’s lap, playing with the ends of dark locks. 

“Don’t worry little shakespeare, you’ll get your fairytale ending…” She smirked, “Just as soon as the duke gets his… End… In.” She tugged Lena’s from the roots, drawing a snarl from the writer as Lena shoved Siobhan back. 

Clark and Lois were on Lena in a second, holding her back while James grabbed the dancer, drawing her away.

“Don’t antagonize, Smythe.” He warned, sending her walking. Siobhan just huffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. 

Lena was glaring, teeth bared like an animal. She began to calm down with the dancer was out of sight, Clark and Lois guiding her to sit down again. James stepped in front of her, looking her in the eyes. 

“It’s never wise to fall in love with a woman who sells herself.” He told her. Lena opened her mouth to reply but he just held a finger in front of her lips, making the writer’s brows knit together. “It always ends bad.”

In the tower, Kara sat across the table from Mon-El, eating slowly and trying to destroy any suspicion of her and Lena’s relationship.

“The writer… She’s obsessed with me. I indulge her because she’s talented and we need her.” Kara lied. She was a skilled actress and a man like Mon-El… Kara knew how to play him like a fiddle.

“We need her…” Mon-El repeated before his gaze darkened. “But only until tomorrow night.” He said.

Kara swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet his gaze. She nodded once, putting another bite of food in her mouth.

James pulled Lucy close, his hand on her lower back and hers on his chest. Their other hands were clasped together, prepared to dance. 

“When I was traveling in Buenos Aires… I learned a dance that told a story of a prostitute and a man who fell in love with her.” He said, starting to guide Lucy through the steps. Lena watched them, pain reflected in her own gaze.

“Passion, desire, followed by suspicion…” He spun Lucy before drawing her back in close, pressing a kiss to her jaw before he looked right at Lena, knowing every single one of his words was ringing in her ears. “Jealousy, anger, betrayal…”

He dipped his partner and Lucy’s hand ran up his back, their lips meeting in a sweet kiss before their dance continued. Lena moved to get up, but James’ continued story stopped her in her tracks, her eyes glued to the floor at her feet.

“When love is for sale there is no trust. And without trust…” He picked Lucy up in a complicated step before drawing her back in close to his chest. He met Lena’s eyes over the top of his partner’s head. “There is no love.”

Clark raised a glass to that, pulling Lois into his lap, cradling her protectively. 

“Jealousy is a killer.” he said, drawing Lena’s tortured gaze to the couple that was seated near her. “Jealousy will drive anyone mad.”

Lena closed her eyes tightly. The image of Lois burrowing into Clark’s arms, of Lucy cradled so protected against James’ chest… Even Winn had a pretty girl sat aside his lap, their faces bowed together and sweet whispers were exchanged between their lips. 

Her mind jumped to Kara. 

Kara.

_ Her Kara. _

Her Kara… Was currently in the arms of a Duke.

“His eyes… Upon her face…” Lena mumbled, feeling the green eyed beast of jealousy running rampant in her chest. 

“His hand upon her hand…” Her eyes closed even tighter, trying to banish the agonizing images the worst part of her mind was dredging forward. 

“His lips… caress her skin…” Lena let out a shaking breath before turning, aggressively sweeping glasses and plates off the table.

“I can’t take it!” she shouted. The whole theater went silent, all eyes falling upon the trembling form of the brunette. 

She turned, grabbing her coat and storming towards the exit. She could hear the voices behind her swell up into a discussion about her. About her sanity, her jealousy, her love... 

Lena shoved the door of the Moulin Rouge, relishing in the loud crash the wood made when it connected with the wall. She shoved her arms through the sleeves of her coat, stepping out into the chilled night air. 

Her envious green gaze found the Gothic Tower immediately, images of Mon-El and Kara,  _ Her Kara,  _ dragging a pained sob from her throat.

“Why does my heart cry!?” She shouted, questioning the night, the stars, the possible deity that lurked in the heavens enjoying her suffering, questioning anyone who would listen.

Her feet carried her out of the courtyard of the Moulin Rouge, heading straight towards the tower. “KARA!” She yelled into the darkness, “Please believe me when I tell you…” she sobbed, voice quieting to a whispered prayer to her beautiful blonde goddess. “I love you…”

“Once this play is successful…” Mon-El said, moving behind Kara where she was standing on the balcony, gazing at the skyline. “You will no longer be a cancan dancer. You’ll be an actress.” he promised, his hand gripping her hip as he pressed a kiss to the back of her neck. “I will make you a star.” he whispered, his hands moving up to secure a tight, exuberant diamond choker around her neck. It resembled more of a collar than jewelry. 

“Thing of this as a gift from this mystical ruler to his courtesan…” His hands fell back to her hips, gripping harshly and pulling her back into his chest. She gasped, suppressing a shudder at his proximity.

“And… And the ending?” she asked, head turned slightly towards him as he pressed sloppy kisses to the skin of her shoulder and around the diamonds on her neck.

“Let J’onzz and Cat keep their fairytale ending.” He whispered, his hand moving down her hip towards the slit in the dress that reached her thigh. Kara closed her eyes tightly, reaching out to grip the railing of the balcony. 

She opened her eyes, looking down at the streets beneath the tower. She spotted familiar green eyes, shining up from the darkness and her breath caught.

“Come… What… May…” she whispered, her hand reaching towards Lena on the ground. “I will love you, until my dying day….”

Lena could feel the words even from a distance. She smiled, gazing up at her lover for another long moment. She knew Kara would come back to her. That no matter what they would always find their way back together.

Mon-El’s hand dipped under the dress, heading right for the scrap of lace covering her sex. 

“No!” Kara gasped, yanking his hand away from under her dress.

“No?” He growled, his own eyes catching sight of the figure on the ground. His grip went from tight to bruising and his teeth bit at Kara’s skin, making her whimper. 

“Oh I see.” He snarled, yanking her back into him again. “Our very own Penniless Guitar Player.” He spat.

Lena disappeared into the darkened paris streets and Mon-El dragged Kara back inside the tower, ignoring her protests about his painful hold on her.

“You made me believed you loved me!” He shouted, shoving her down onto the ornate bed. He gripped the necklace around her neck with one hand, the other tearing her dress along the slit. 

Kara cried out breathlessly, hands shoving at his shoulders and desperately trying to free herself from his grip. 

He yanked at the jewelry harder, snapping the clasp, the metal slicing into Kara’s skin to leave angry red lines. His hand closed around her neck instead and before Kara could even scream for help, there was a loud bang and the Duke slumped to the ground. 

Kara scrambled back, calming some when she saw J’onn standing over the now unconscious man with a silver dinner tray in hand. He would never leave Kara truly alone with the man. 

He dropped the tray with a clatter and scooped Kara into his arms, cradling her protectively as she sobbed into his chest. J’onn carried her from the tower, desperate to keep his girl away from the terrible Duke.

Lena looked up as the door to her apartment slammed open and she was suddenly greeted with armfuls of a sobbing Kara. 

“Kara? Kara, love…” She said, trying to wipe her tears away.

Kara just shook her head, breathing shaky and sobs wracking her. “I couldn’t do it! I don’t want to pretend anymore…” She pressed a desperate kiss to Lena’s lips before continuing. “I couldn’t go through with it, I saw you there and I felt differently and the Duke! Oh, the duke saw and he knows…” She rambled.

Lena cut her off with another kiss, “Kara, darling, it’s okay.” She cupped her cheeks, wiping away the tears with her thumbs.

“Lena, I love you.” She whispered, blue eyes glassy and desperate, a mix of fear and pure love swirling around in the storm clouds hidden behind her irises. “He saw and I… I don’t want to pretend anymore.”

Lena kissed her again and again. “No more pretending then. We’ll leave. We’ll leave tonight.”

Kara’s eyes widened. “Leave? Lena, the show…”

“I don’t care about the show. You. You are what I care about, Kara. You are everything to me, my whole world. We’ll have each other, that’s all that matters.” She whispered, eyes bright with the possibility of a future with Kara, just the two of them.

Kara hesitated a moment before falling into the same beautiful fantasy she saw in Lena’s gaze. “Yes. Yes, as long as we have each other.”

“It’s all we need.” Lena grinned, kissing her deeply. “Go pack, no one must see you. Meet me back here as soon as you’re done.” She said. Kara nodded excitedly, giving a breathless chuckle and kissing Lena once more.

“I’ll be back soon.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

“I love you,”

“And I love you.”

Once Mon-El had woken up from his dinner tray induced sleep, he immediately summoned Cat Grant to the gothic tower where a doctor was dabbing at a shallow wound at his hairline. 

“It’s that writer.” He growled. “She’s bewitched my Kara with words.” He hissed at the doctor cleaning his wound before continuing. “I want her back, Cat, find her. Tell her… Tell her the show will end my way and she will come to me when that curtain falls or I will have that stupid girl killed.”

“Killed?” Cat asked, eyes widening some.

Mon-El growled and glared right at the woman.  _ “Killed.” _

He waved a hand to dismiss her and Cat set off in search of Kara immediately. She headed for the Rouge, knocking briefly before sliding into Kara’s dressing room.

“Excuse the intrusion, kitten…” She began watching the blonde throwing clothes into a suitcase.

“You can’t change my mind.” Kara told her, barely looking up from her task.

Cat moved over and grabbed her hand to still her, a serious look on her face. “You don’t understand,” she said. “The Duke is going to have Lena killed.” 

Kara gasped in horror, trying to protest before Cat shushed her with a finger to her lips and continued.

“He is insanely jealous… He says do his ending and sleep with him tomorrow night, or the writer will be killed.” Cat explained. 

Kara just shook her head, yanking away to keep packing. “He doesn’t scare us!”

“He’s a powerful man, Kara, you know he can do it.” Cat said, sighing when Kara slammed her suitcase shut. 

J’onn stepped in the dressing room after hearing the argument. He raised a brow at the blonde. “What are you doing?”

Kara turned to the pair of them, her jaw clenched with a determined look in her eyes.

“I don’t need you anymore. I’m no longer a bird with a broken wing and I know I’m worth more than what someone would pay for me!” Kara picked up her suitcase. “Lena loves me. She loves me. And that… That is worth everything.” 

She moved to push past them, stopping by the door to pull on her coat, fumbling with the buttons in her impassioned state.

“We’re going away from you, away from the duke, away from the Moulin Rouge!” She dressed herself and turned to face them, chin raised defiantly. “Goodbye, Cat, Goodbye, J’onn.”

She reached for the door and Cat blurted out her words.

“You’re dying, Kara.”

Kara froze, hand wrapped around the knob.

“You’re dying.” She repeated, voice softer. Kara didn’t meet her eyes, not wanting to believe her.

“Another trick…”

“No, kitten, the doctor told us.”

Kara felt tears in her eyes. She looked to J’onn.

“Is it true?” She asked.

He gave a sad nod, his own eyes filled with tears for her. She dropped the suitcase, the news making her lungs constrict painfully.

Kara coughed, a hand coming up cover her mouth but when she pulled away she could see they were telling the truth. Blood stained her palm and she could taste it in the back of her mouth.

Cat drew a hanky and moved over immediately, smoothing Kara’s hair out of her eyes and wiping the blood away. Kara was trembling, hot tears slowly rolling down her cheeks.

“I’m dying…”

Cat gently led her to sit down, dabbing blood away from the corner of her lips. “Send Lena away.” Cat whispered. 

Kara’s eyes snapped to hers. “What?”

“Send her away to save her.” 

“She’ll… Lena will fight for me.” Kara said, voice breaking as she weakly coughed again.

J’onn knelt by her side. “Not if she believes you don’t love her.” Kara could physically feel her heart shatter at just the thought. J’onn squeezed her hand. “You’re an incredible actress Kara… Make her believe you don’t love her. You have to hurt her to save her.”

“I can’t…” Kara pleaded, sucking in short little gasps. Cat rubbed her back to try and calm her down.

“There’s no other way, kitten… The show must go on… We’re creatures of the underworld. We can’t afford to love.”

Kara’s icy gaze stared off into space, a hurricane of emotions swirling inside her. She was dying. The Duke was threatening the woman she loved. Her heart splintered and cracked, the feeling shooting pain through Kara’s chest. She brought a hand up to soothe the ache but she knew with what she had to do… There would be no repairing it.

She slowly stood up, forcing a mask of indifference on her face as she slowly walked to her vanity. Hands scrubbed at her cheeks, trying to erase the evidence of pained tears as she began to dab powder on her cheeks. Line her eyes with kohl and paint her lips crimson. She wore her makeup like armor. The blonde dressed in her least provocative black dress, looking like she was set to be attending a wake. 

She didn’t even start when she felt Cat step up behind her to button her into it. 

“The show must go on.” Kara whispered, the words tasting like acid. Cat looked at her in the mirror, smiling sadly. 

“The show must go on.” She agreed.

Lena was tossing everything into her bags, a wide smile on her face. She heard the door open and looked up, the smile melting instantly at the sight of Kara looking like a mourner rather than a bride.

“K-Kara?”

“The Duke came to see me.”

“Did he threaten you?! I swear if he laid a single hand--”

“I’m staying with him,” Kara said. She could see the exact moment when Lena’s heart shattered.

“W-What?”

“He offered me everything I’ve ever wanted… Stardom, money… He has one condition.”

Lena was frozen, feeling like Kara was stabbing her in the chest and just twisting the knife. 

“I must never see you again.”

“What are you talking about?” Lena asked, tears falling as she moved forward. Kara braced herself against the agony she knew was about to hit her. “What about what we promised? Last night?!”

“You knew who I was when you met me, Lena.”

“Come what may, Kara! We promised!”

“There is a difference between you and I!” Kara shouted, trying to mask her own heartbreak. “You may come and go whenever you please… But the Moulin Rouge is my home.”

Lena began pacing, shaking her head and running frantic hands through her hair. “No, this can’t be real, something is wrong.” She moved and gripped Kara’s biceps. “Tell me the truth!” She pleaded. “TELL ME THE TRUTH!”

Kara swallowed the lump in her throat, steeling herself. “The truth?” she asked, voice becoming a low hiss. “The truth is that… I am the courtesan and I choose the mystical ruler.” She pushed away from Lena, walking to the door. “That is how the story really ends.” The door slammed behind her, its impact crushing what remained of Lena’s heart.

Jealousy drove her mad.

The skies above Paris opened up in a torrential downpour, but Lena stood in the rain, banging at the gates of the Moulin Rouge.

“KARA!” she screamed, fists beaten raw against the iron. “KARA!!” Her voice went hoarse and she screamed and screamed until James and Clark saw her. They pried her away from the gate, back to her apartment where Lois wrapped her in a blanket and Lucy put a mug of tea in her hands. Alex and Maggie tried to cheer her up with music but Lena’s gaze didn’t waver from the spinning red windmill, so close yet so far.

Clark touched her shoulder, “Things aren’t always as they seem.” He said. Lena didn’t reply but he kept speaking. “I know you and I aren’t close, Lena, hell, Kara and I aren’t close either… But I know a thing or two about love and I know a thing or two about my cousin. She loves you. I know she loves you.”

Lena blinked and finally her lip quivered as she spoke, voice barely a hoarse mumble. “Go away.”

They all stayed still a moment, hoping Lena would open up more. What they got instead was an explosion. She jumped up, screaming at all of them.

“GET OUT! Leave me alone!” she shouted, nearly chasing each of them out of the apartment. She sat by the window, blanket around her shoulders and her eyes clouded with tears.

* * *

 

The feeling of Kara’s betrayal stung much like the feeling Lena felt as she typed, her chest ached, fingers shook and her eyes burned from an overabundance of tears. She was sick of crying yet her body didn’t want to give up until every ounce of water in her body was shed in the name of her lover.

“I tried to shut out what Clark had said. I begged my heart not to believe him but of course I was stupid. I am stupid. Love does that to a person, strips away everything until nothing at all is left but that one emotion. Love. Love. Love.”

**_DING!_ **

Lena reset the line. 

“What Clark had said, what he had told me about Kara… that she still loved me… It planted a seed of doubt in my mind. I had to be sure. I wanted to know. I  _ needed _ to know if my Kara still felt anything for me. There was only one way to be sure…”

Lena stared at the page, a shuddered breath leaving her as she glanced out the window. She stared a moment at the now still arm of the windmill. At the long since darkened lights that once lined the portal to the bohemian underworld. At the gates that once opened up the path that led her straight to her love. 

Her fingers moved without her input.

“I returned to the Moulin Rouge… One last time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ooooh oh ohhhhh! One more chapter to go!
> 
> Will the lovers survive?
> 
> Leave your comments and come see me on tumblr @cuddlyreyes!


	5. The Greatest Thing You Will Ever Learn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena returns to the Moulin Rouge one final time. Kara knows the show must go on, but will her heart be able to lie to itself long enough to make it to curtain call?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, y'all.
> 
> The final chapter.
> 
> For truth, freedom, beauty and above all things... love.
> 
> La vie supercorp

The Moulin Rouge had been entirely transformed into the magical kingdom Lena had designed and brought to life on pages upon pages of paper. Every seat in the newly built theater was full and the sets made by Clark and Lois opened the doors to a new world no one had ever even dreamed of before. 

Lucy’s costumes created a colorful ocean upon the stage, defining character roles and drawing every single eye to Kara as she sauntered across the stage, singing about the droves of men that left diamonds at her feet in exchange for just a few moments of her affections.

The blonde stood under the spotlight, holding out a long note before it was suddenly cut off by a sharp gasp. The stage stopped for a moment, the orchestra and chorus hanging on a rest as Kara choked back a cough. 

She forced her dazzling smile back on her face and stood up tall, arms out to her sides as she continued to sing, the crowd rewarding her with thunderous applause.

Alex and Maggie stood at the edge of the orchestra pit. The latina woman waving her hands to cue up the mass orchestra to fill the theater with the music of their bohemian revolution. 

Winn moved across the stage with James, his voice carrying over the music. “I only speak the truth! I only speak the truth!”

Alex occupied the other conductor podium, waving her hands to cue the massive amount of singers on the stage. She waved her hands to cut off Kara’s note as J’onn, playing the evil ruler pulled her close.

“SHE IS MINE!” he declared, his voice booming over the audience and through the theater. Mon-El, seated in the front row, a disgusting smirk on his face as his eyes raked over Kara.

“She is mine…”

Lena, armed with a handful of cash from pawning her typewriter, was driven towards the Moulin Rouge in a storm of heartbreak and jealousy. She couldn’t believe that Kara, her beautiful, incredible,  _ her _ Kara, would truly leave her for that Duke... But her heart was shattered and the shards left sliced up her insides, blinding any hope she had with anger and jealousy. 

She snuck through a window at the back of the theater, crawling under a set piece and narrowly dodging the Duke’s manservant Maxwell.

The dimwitted assistant to the Duke thought he spotted someone lurking and his hand moved to the gun at his hip. Lena ducked into the shadows, waiting for him to pass before she climbed her way onto the back of the set pieces, heading for the stairs to the cat walks above the stage. Her heart thundered in her ears, the music driving her forward like she was the hammer on a piano string, every step closer to Kara made her heart bash against her ribcage in a speedy melody that was only getting faster with each moment. 

The lights went down after the first song, Maxwell Lord losing any trace of Lena in the pitch black darkness of backstage. Lena dashed when she could, she knew this set like the back of her hand, knew every song, every lighting cue, every single costume change down to the second.

She had written each one of them after all.

James and Winn were walking up the stairs in the wings, heading to the place to prepare for the next number. Winn was a few steps ahead of his friend, a bottle of champagne in hand that he was sipping from with a straw as to not ruin his colorful stage makeup.

“I know she still loves her.” Winn said with a deep sigh, shaking his head as he carefully traversed each of the steep stairs. He took a long sip from the bottle before throwing his hand up dramatically. “I know she still loves her! There has to be a reason…”

James rolled his eyes, exasperated and frustrated with how Lena and Kara’s breakup had almost caused the whole show as well as their tight knit friend group to implode. 

“How about one of them is a duke and the other--” His voice trailed off, eyes suddenly rolling back in his head as he fell unconscious, tumbling back down the stairs before landing at the bottom, snoring like a baby.

“So you agree something is wrong!” Winn nodded, moving across the catwalk to get into place, more speaking to himself than James, whom he hadn’t even realized was no longer behind him. 

Lena came upon the unconscious black man and her eyes fell on his costume. Perfect. She grunted as she hoisted him into a sitting position, hastily trying to unbutton the jacket. She managed to shove it off his shoulders and pull it out from behind his back before gently laying the unconscious man down again. 

“You’re a lifesaver even when unconscious, Mr. Olsen.” she said fondly, yanking the too large jacket on. She pushed her hair out of her eyes before tying it up in a bun, looking towards the stage as she heard J’onn’s monologue beginning.

“I raise high my ceremonial wedding sword!” He declared.

Backstage, Kara was gasping for breath, coughing and wheezing desperately. Cat held a handkerchief to her lips, the white cloth quickly stained crimson. 

“.... And welcome my loyal subjects to join with us in celebration!” J’onn’s voice boomed.

Kara was pale, struggling to breathe as she met Cat’s eyes. The older woman gave her a sad smile, cupping her cheek. 

“You’re almost done, kitten. Just one more song and you’re a star.” Cat promised, her voice sad despite her attempt to reassure Kara.

Kara just wheezed weakly, struggling to stand as a stagehand called her to her place.

Winn sat up in the catwalk, finishing the last of the champagne bottle. “What a magnificent performance!” he slurred.

J’onn stepped off stage and Maxwell Lord gripped his shoulder, growling. “The girl is here.” 

Winn looked down at the pair, head cocked curiously as J’onn’s eyes grew wide with anxiety. “We told Kara if Lena came here she would be killed.”

Maxwell drew his gun, cocking it as he moved to search the rest of the backstage area. “She very well will be.”

Winn’s eyes widened. “Oh my god.” He whispered. “She’ll be killed! That’s why she was pushing her away… Oh my god it all makes sense! Lena!” he moved to run and find Lena before his platform was hoisted up, leaving him clinging to a rope as he stared down at the stage a good 40 feet below him. “OH MY! This is high up!” he squeaked.

Lena moved through the halls, a single minded determination driving her forward. A yellow star on the door. Cursive writing. Kara. Kara, Kara, Kara…  _ Her  _ Kara. Her heart ached at just reading the name, hearing it echo through her mind like the sweetest prayer and the world’s worst curse.

She shoved the door open, seeing Kara bracing herself on her vanity. She looked pale, too pale and her lips looked too red to be painted. Cat’s eyes widened when she saw the writer but Lena paid her no mind.

“I’ve come to pay my bill.” She said, voice breaking. Seeing Kara again, all the pain she felt when she left, at watching her walk away, the images in her mind of the Duke’s hands on  _ Her Kara _ , the pain tore her heart clean out of her chest. 

“Lena…” Kara rasped, coughing some before she found her voice strong enough to continue. “Lena, you shouldn’t be here…” She pointed back towards the door. “You need to leave.”

Winn moved frantically across the beams, trying to find a way to get to Lena. “Killed!  _ Killed!  _ Fuck, I’ve got to warn her!”

The stage manager knocked on Kara’s door. “Mademoiselle Kara! To places!” The blonde pushed around Lena, frantically heading to her place to finish the show. Her breathing was forced and raspy, tears streaming down her cheeks and making her makeup run.

Lena just ran after her, grabbing her arm to yank her close, the jealous monster inside her pushing to the surface. “You made me believe you loved me! Let me pay you!”

“Please…” Kara begged, coughing again. She yanked her arm away but Lena persisted.

Cat followed after them, trying to stop Lena as well. “She has to get on stage!”

J’onn paced across the stage, waving his sword. “Jealousy has driven the guitar player into hiding!”

“You did your job so very well!” Lena yelled at Kara, shaking with the storm of emotions inside her.

Clark was working backstage, sending a group of actors on stage. “Ruler’s army! Go!” he whispered loudly before Cat grabbed his arm, eyes wide in obvious worried. 

“The writer is here… She has Kara.” She hissed. Clark turned and ran with her to chase after Lena and Kara. Lena pinned Kara to the stairs, tears falling down her cheeks as she growled in her ear. 

“I should pay you like everyone else does!”

Kara was gasping, carrying herself up the stairs, furiously rubbing at her cheeks. “Don’t Lena, there’s no point..” She turned the corner, gasping when she saw Maxwell Lord. She turned, trying to push Lena away. “Just leave!” She begged.

Lena continued to follow after her, waving the money in her face. Winn was above the commotion, clinging to ropes for dear life. “They’re going to kill the poor girl!”

J’onn enchanted the audience, telling them the tale of how he as the mighty ruler had discovered the lover’s secret affair. “But I have found them!”

“Stop her!” Cat shouted at Clark. The man grabbed Lena, trying to pull her away from his cousin but the writer was quick, she turned and socked Clark right in the jaw sending him falling onto his back. 

Maxwell drew his gun and Kara was sobbing now, turning and grabbing onto Lena’s jacket.

“If you don’t love me and it wasn’t real why can’t I pay you?!” Lena shouted, gripping her biceps. Winn continued to look down on the couple, watching Mon-El’s henchman advancing on the couple.

“Lena!” He hissed, trying to warn her.

J’onn waved his arms before the audience. “Open the doors!” He shouted.

“LET ME PAY! Tell me you don’t love me!” Lena yelled, still shaking Kara as the doors swung open. Max Lord, gun still in hand jumped back, knowing if the audience saw him murder Lena, his boss would not be happy. 

Kara fell to her knees, Lena standing above her with the money. The sudden flood of bright lights from the theater hit them and the pair froze like deer in headlights. Kara was shaking with sobs, eyes on the ground and Lena was staring out at the audience. She saw the Duke and her rage only multiplied ten fold.

The audience was too silent, confused at the change in events in the show. J’onn waved his sword, coming to the production’s rescue. 

“Hah! I am not fooled! Though the magical guitar player has used his magic to don a disguise, appearing before us as a woman, I know it is he! Driven mad by jealousy!”

The audience cheered, laughing at the new and exciting twist.

Max Lord moved behind the scenes, trying to find a place to get a shot into the writer if needed. The ensemble all waited for cues from J’onn and Kara, not knowing how to carry on the rest of the show.

Lena grabbed Kara by the arm, hauling her down a few steps to be in center stage. The blonde tripped over her dress and went sprawling again, coughing harshly. Lena turned her body to J’onn but her eyes were on the audience, every ounce of pain, of hatred, of pure heartbreak directed right at Mon-El. 

“This woman is yours now…” She said, voice broken as she projected to the theater. She tossed the Money in front of Kara, a sob escaping. “I have paid my whore!”

The crowd aww’ed and Lena looked down at the blonde, tears flowing with no end in sight. 

“I owe you nothing…” Lena spat. Kara wheezed weakly, choking on her own sob. She coughed into her arm, trembling with the pain radiating from her lungs and the pure agony coming from her heart. “You are nothing to me.”

The words tasted like acid on Lena’s tongue. With each one, she felt another piece of her heart fall off her chest and shatter on the stage. Kara’s sobbing didn’t help either. Every fiber of her being was screaming, begging her to kneel down and comfort the blonde in any way she could. But Lena knew how the story ended and she held her ground.

“Thank you for curing me of my ridiculous obsession with  _ love.” _ Lena spat the sobs truly taking over as she moved to walk off the stage. Behind her she heard a faint whisper of her name.

“Lena, please.”

She nearly turned. Kara saying her name… Kara’s voice saying anything… Lena wanted to obey, wanted to hear that voice forever, listen to it ring in her ears like the sweetest song. But she didn’t get to have that in this lifetime.

She walked off the stage, pausing momentarily in front of Mon-El. She gave him a look that she hoped conveyed the hatred she felt for him, but she also hope that the look in her eyes delivered the warning that he better take care of Kara like she was a precious jewel…

In the rafters, Winn still clung to the ropes for dear life.

“No… I can’t remember my line!” He gasped.

J’onn moved towards Kara, waving his sword towards Lena’s back as he helped her up. “This musician doesn’t love you! See now she flees the kingdom!”

He leaned to whisper in the blonde’s ear, his heart aching as he listened to her pitiful sobs. “It’s for the best, Kara… She’s safe now…” He whispered before raising his voice to the audience again. “Now, my bride! It is time to raise your voice to the heavens and say your wedding vows!”

Winn was watching over the top of the set, seeing Lena walk down the aisle and away from Kara, away from the love of her life. He desperately wracked his brain for the line, nearly slipping off the rope as it came to him. “Ive got it!”

“LENA!” he yelled, nearly plummeting off his platform and hanging by the tips of his fingers as he shouted. “THE GREATEST THING YOU WILL EVER LEARN IS JUST TO LOVE AND BE LOVED IN RETURN!”

Lena stopped in her tracks at the back of the theater, her back still to the stage but the words echoing in her mind. 

Her mind flashed through the last months with Kara. Every touch, every kiss, every single moment that she fell deeper and deeper in love with her blonde goddess. On the stage, Kara’s mind was going through the same cycle. Her own memories were tainted with one dark thought.

_ I want to die with her loving me. _

She knew it was selfish… But Kara… She was a creature of the underworld. Being selfish was the most innocent of her sins. 

Shakily she moved to the front of the stage, the whole audience silent as they waited for the next development. 

She lifted her chin, taking a raspy breath before forcing her voice out. 

_ “I never knew I could feel like this… Like I’d never seen the sky before…” _ Her hands came up to wipe the tears and smeared makeup from her cheeks before she continued. The orchestra sitting in silence as well.

_ “Want to vanish inside your kiss… Everyday I’m loving you more and more... “ _ She sang, voice wobbling with the effort and emotion. Maggie and Alex cued in the string sections, quietly backing Kara as she serenaded the woman she loved. 

“ _ Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing?”  _ She asked, her teary eyes trained on Lena’s back.  _ “Come back to me…”  _ She begged before standing tall and belting out her plea. “ _ And forgive everything….”  _

The note cut off abruptly, caught in a choked gasp as she stumbled, her lungs protesting the effort and forcing her to beg her failing body for air. J’onn nearly rushed forward but she held up a hand to stop him, standing tall once more.

Lena would fight through hell and back for her so Kara would fight her own body to tell Lena how much she loved her.

_ “Seasons may change…. Winter to spring…”  _ She sang, her voice going quiet as she spoke the next line, the words meant exclusively for Lena to hear.  _ Her Lena. _

“I love you…” Kara whispered, voice breaking with emotion. She silently begged Lena to turn around, begged her to meet her eyes, begged her to come to the stage and kiss her like both of their lives depended on it. Kara felt that her own life very well did.

“ _ I love you, until the end of time…”  _ Kara sang, closing her eyes tightly as she tasted blood in the back of her mouth. She swayed where she stood, mentally replaying the adoring words Lena would whisper to her as they laid wrapped up in each other, skin on skin with nothing but a patchwork sheet keeping them covered from the soft Parisian breeze that came from the windows. 

Lena turned slowly. She could hear the genuine love in Kara’s voice. She knew what she sounded like when she acted, what she sounded like when she lied… Lena also knew what Kara sounded like when the siren seductress act was gone, what her laugh sounded like echoed in empty Paris streets, what her voice sounded like while singing as they soaked in the bath, what her lips felt like when they spoke desperate devotions into Lena’s skin. 

She raised her chin as Kara opened her eyes.

Green met blue. Blue met green.

“Come… What…. May….” Lena spoke softly, her body turning to follow her eyes and her voice grew more confident, spilling over the sea of audience members to reach her goddess’s ears.

“ _ Come what may…”  _ She sang out, ignoring the shocked gasps of the audience as they turned to look at her. The beaming smile Kara shot her dragged Lena’s voice out of her and she stepped towards the stage, voice ringing through the theater.

“ _ Come what may…”  _ Lena walked towards the stage, resisting the urge to sprint down the aisle and gather Kara into her arms.  _ “Come what may!”  _ She sang again. 

Mon-El growled in his seat, trying to subtly gesture to Maxwell to kill the writer as soon as he had a shot. Max peeked through the set dressings, cocking his gun and pointing it at the girl.

Kara walked down the stairs towards Lena, eyes shining with the incredible relief of the love she felt radiating through her entire being.

_ “I will love you,”  _ Lena belted, Kara answering in a perfect harmony as their hands met, fingers instantly lacing.

_ “And I will love you,” _

Their voices melted together, ringing out through the theater, through the whole of paris and right into each other’s hearts.

_ “I will love you, until my dying day…” _

They leaned in close, their lips nearly brushing before Winn yelled from the rafters, gripping a rope and swinging down. 

“LENA LOOK OUT!” he yelled, crashing into Maxwell Lord and sending them both sprawling onto the stage. Kara and Lena jumped apart in shock, eyes wide. Mon-El looked furious, glaring at his manservant to get the job done. 

“They’re trying to kill you!” He jumped to his feet.

The audience started laughing and J’onn grabbed Winn’s arm, trying desperately to keep the show in tact. “Guards!”

Winn slapped his hand, pointing at Max and the gun he was crawling towards. “NO LOOK! He’s got a gun!”

Backstage, Lucy, Clark, and Lois had been watching the whole ordeal. The sight of the gun sent the younger Lane into action. 

“Time to save their asses!” She yelled, grabbing Clark and Lois to rush the stage, pulling large swaths of fabric to create a monumental distraction. 

“LA VIE BOHEME!”

Their distraction knocked over several lights, sparks lighting up the stage. Alex and Maggie shared a glance before they yanked each other into passionate kisses, the orchestra taking that as a signal to begin playing the finale piece of the original  _ Spectacular, Spectacular  _ ending.

James kicked open the ‘palace’ doors, half in costume and half conscious. “Now we go back to work!” he shouted before his eyes rolled back in his head and he was once again on the ground, sound asleep.

The chorus began singing, the ragtag group of actors and bohemians standing on the edge of the stage. A multitude of glares were pointed right at the duke, more than one person unhappy with his dictatorship over their bohemian revolution.

_ “No matter what you say, the show is ending our way…” _ The chorus boomed, Maxwell Lord attempted to creep close enough to Lena to fire the shot. Cat had rushed onto the stage with the commotion and when she saw Max, the claws came out.

_ “C’mon and stand your ground… For Freedom, Beauty, Truth… And Love!”  _

Cat shoved the man into the orchestra pit, making him trip over several instruments before Alex bashed him over the head with a large cymbal. 

Mon-El, sick of being embarrassed by a pack of lowlife, underworld, show-folk, was standing, hastily trying to escape the theater. Maxwell’s gun tumbled from his hand at Alex’s well placed hit and skid down the aisle, right past Mon-El in his attempt to escape.

Kara wrapped her arms around Lena’s shoulders, their foreheads touching as she sang.

“ _ One day I’ll fly away…” _

Lena beamed, hand cupping her cheek as she echoed back to her.  _ “My gift is my song…” _

The whole ensemble gathered around them, beginning a low hum of the couple’s promise.  _ “Come what may…” _

_ “I will love you…”  _ Blonde and brunette sang together, the rest of the world no longer existed. Two hearts beat as one, two halfs becoming a whole, Kara and Lena…

Mon-El picked up the gun, his own selfish jealousy blinding him. He cocked it, racing towards the stage with his sights set on Lena. 

“MY WAY!” he shouted, having never been denied anything in his life, he was driven mad. He nearly pulled the trigger before J’onn intercepted him with a long overdue fist straight to his nose. Mon-El tumbled onto his back, the whole room spinning before he fell unconscious.

J’onn shook out his fist, smiling to himself as he looked back to the stage.

“ _ I will love you until my dying day!”  _

Kara and Lena met in a passionate kiss, holding each other the way classical poets only wrote about in fiction. Kissing in the way a princess kissed her princess charming in the fairytales. Loving in the way that only two souls, so devoted to one another, the only way Kara and Lena could.

The curtain fell, boisterous applause echoing behind the velvet as the pair pulled apart just enough to allow a few millimeters for air.

Lena cupped her cheeks, laughing excitedly at the sheer adrenaline that was coursing through her veins. Someone called them all to get ready for the curtain call and Lena moved so she could stand beside Kara, their fingers laced together as they would remain for the rest of eternity. Or so Lena planned. 

She didn’t account for the dark cloud of tragedy to strike the Moulin Rouge that night.

Kara’s whole body seized, head falling back and spine in a painful arch as the meager amount of air in her body was forced out in an agonized gasp.

“Kara?” Lena asked, noticing immediately. Her goddess began to fall and Lena caught her immediately, holding her close as she coughed and wheezed. “Kara, darling, what is it?” she begged, trembling when she noticed the shoulder of her jacket begin to be stained with blood.

“SOMEONE GET SOME HELP!” Lena screamed, lowering herself to her knees to properly cradle Kara in her arms.

Cat shoved a stage hand, “Hold the curtain! Get the doctor!”

“Lena…” Kara rasped, blood staining the corner of her mouth and trailing down the pale skin of her chin and down her jaw. “I-I’m dying,” she whispered, tears flooding from the corner of her eyes and making hot trails down her temples before disappearing into golden locks. 

“No no no no no, love, Kara, love, you’re not dying.” She swore, rocking her gently and looking around for someone who could save Kara. “You’re going to be alright, darling. I know you are… We’re going to take care of you.”

Kara wheezed desperately, her head lulling against Lena’s bicep. “I’m cold, Lena… I’m so cold. Hold me,” she begged, her voice small and delicate, like if she spoke too loud she would fall apart. Lena choked on a sob, holding her as tight as she could, their foreheads pressed together and noses brushing with every small gasp that passed through Kara’s lips into her failing lungs.

“I love you.” Lena whispered.

“You have to go on, Lena.” Kara rasped, hand moving to the back of her neck, thumb brushing the skin beneath her ear and the sharp line of her jaw. “I love you, you have so much to give…”

“I want to give it all to you, Kara… I  _ have  _ given it all to you.” Lena insisted, tears dropping from her own cheeks onto Kara’s. “I can’t go on without you, Kara, love… Please, don’t leave me.”

Kara brushed their noses again, deliberately this time. “Tell our story, Lena. Tell the world how much I love you.”

Lena shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut against a new batch of sobs. “Stay, darling… Kara. Stay and tell them yourself.”

“Promise me.” Kara whispered, the hand on her neck moving to her cheek. A thumb brushed under Lena’s eyes and agonized emerald opened to meet Kara’s infinite starry gaze. “Promise me.” she repeated.

Lena opened her mouth to reply but all that bubbled out of her throat was a pained whimper. Kara gently pulled her closer, pressing a weak kiss to her lips before speaking.

“That way… I’ll always be with you.”

One last lingering kiss was pressed to Lena Luthor’s lips. One last breath shared between them. One final moment of two hearts beating as one. 

One of the hearts stopped. No more breaths were shared. No more kisses pressed to Lena’s lips.

Kara Zor-El was dead.

Lena held her tightly, her whole body shaking down to her very bones. Her head fell back and she screamed to the heavens, wailing in pure agony at the feeling of having her heart torn from her chest.

Around the lovers, mourners gathered. Cat slipped her hand into J’onn’s, both of them weeping silent tears for the girl they had shared as a child. Clark Kent held a sobbing Lois Lane, softly praying into her hair for his cousin. Alex Danvers and Maggie Sawyer clung to each other, begging every deity they could think of that they would never be ripped apart like Lena and Kara. James, for once in his life, wished he had been unconscious and this was a terrible dream as Lucy cried into his chest. Winn Schott Jr. wished for once in his life he had learned to keep his mouth shut. Wish he had never befriended this rag tag group, wish he had kept Lena Luthor far away from the Moulin Rouge, if only to save her from the pure torture he could see her going through right now. 

Lena looked down at her lover’s body, the usual starry galaxies that lingered in those beautiful eyes was replaced with an icy emptiness whose cold daggers stabbed holes in Lena’s very being. Her trembling hand reached up, delicately closing Kara’s eyes. Another sob ripped its way from her chest as she realized she would never see those eyes again. How she longed for a machine to take a colored photograph if only so she could remember their inimitable color. She pressed one final kiss to Kara’s lips, whimpering when they were too cold, when there was no reciprocation and no adorable giggle on the other end of the kiss. 

Kara Zor-El was dead.

A dark cloud of mourning settled over the Moulin Rouge in that instant. The crowd beyond the curtain still clapped and cheered wildly, blissfully ignorant of the tragedy behind the red velvet. Beyond the theater doors, Paris felt colder. The lights looked dimmer. The red windmill, for the first time in the history of the Moulin Rouge, stopped spinning.

If one were to stand in the courtyard outside the theater and stared straight up to the heavens, one would notice a star, shining over the devil’s dance hall. A star, brighter than the rest, burning hotter than all others, and twinkling in a shade of blue that no other star had ever shined before. 

* * *

_There was a girl… A very strange, enchanted girl… Who taught us things we need to learn… Like how to love and be loved in return…_

* * *

“Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months... “ Lena typed, ignoring the inkling warmth of a new day’s sun beginning to stream in through her windows. Once again she had written through the night.

“Until on one not so special day, I sat down at my typewriter and I wrote the story. The story of  _ My Kara _ and I.” Her fingers flew over the keys, the cracks in her heart not aching more so than usual, but perhaps it was an improvement. The mere mention of her lover’s name didn’t feel like a knife to the heart as much as it did the first time she typed that name on the first sheet of blank paper.

“A story about a time, a story about a place, a story about the people.” Lena reset the line, taking a deep breath before her fingers slowed, savoring the final few clicks that would end the story of  _ Her Kara _ .

“But above all things… A story about love. A love, that will live  _ forever. _ ”

THE END

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for coming on this wild ride with me, for loving this au as much as I have and for your incredible comments, kudos, and kind words.
> 
> Perhaps I could be persuaded to write a few one shots taking place in this universe, perhaps I may create an alternate ending... I'm not sure I can let this AU go yet. Come tell me on tumblr @cuddlyreyes
> 
> Come what may, dear readers, I will love you, until my dying day.

**Author's Note:**

> Wow ya made it through the first monster chapter, congrats!! Thanks for reading!
> 
> You can find me on tumblr @cuddlyreyes and your comments fuel my writing fire
> 
> Let me know what you think and tune in next time for the next installment of the Supercorp Moulin Rouge AU!


End file.
